Jealousy
by skywolf666
Summary: SheLloyd. Given one week to prepare for the battle against Kratos, Lloyd realizes who he really needs to stand by his side on that day. Confused by his rapidly changing feelings, he tries clumsily to reach out to Sheena, who's hiding things of her own...
1. An Eventful Morning

"STUPID CHOSEN!"

Raine, in the midst of sucking in a breath of air to laugh while sipping her coffee, began to choke, coughing hard as she set aside her mug. She hastily began thumping her chest with a closed fist as she tried to breathe through the scalding liquid. Her younger brother looked up at her in concern, but she simply shook her head, bowing it as she continued to cough and laugh. She looked up quickly though, not really wanting to miss what she was sure was going to happen next, and she wasn't disappointed.

A redheaded figure was thrown over the railing from the top floor, issuing a very female scream before he landed face-down on the hard floor. Half a second later, a darker blur dropped down over the banister, landing neatly right between the Chosen's shoulder blades. Not wasting a moment, Sheena grabbed his arms and yanked them back, planting her bare feet neatly in the small of Zelos' back.

Presea shook her head once, having looked away from her game of chess for one moment to see what was causing the commotion. When she returned her gaze to the board, she raised one eyebrow and looked at her opponent with a sigh. "It appears to be too early for this sort of behaviour, yet Sheena has already thrown Zelos into a pin. Is there something I may have missed about today?"

Regal snorted at Presea's curious tone, shaking his head once as he turned his attention away from the whimpering Zelos and the furious Sheena. He idly pulled his knight back into close quarters with Presea's castle, commenting placidly, "It doesn't seem to be so special today. Zelos seems to just be more eager to get injured I believe."

"I think he's on the right path." Presea replied with a shake of her head, glancing back at the very annoyed summoner. She barely allowed herself a smile as she turned back to Regal, taking his castle with a flourish. Her pale blue eyes glinted with hidden amusement as she continued, "I don't believe I've ever seen Sheena without her battle kimono on, and here she is thoroughly punishing Zelos in her nightgown..."

"You're right." Regal chuckled his agreement, turning to examine the annoyed summoner. She was indeed wearing a loose-fitting pale purple nightgown, but she didn't seem to realize that her outfit was rather revealing, she was too busy kicking Zelos. He turned to the still coughing Raine and asked casually, "Are you sure you're alright? You haven't stopped coughing since Sheena yelled her insult."

Raine waved her hand in a vague gesture, a hint of red colouring her fair face from her coughing fit. Breathing gratefully as her airway cleared, she answered quite primly, "No, I'm quite well Regal, my thanks for your concern." She nodded towards the fallen Chosen, adding somewhat playfully, "It was his scream that really made it difficult for me to breathe, not the coffee."

Genis was just about to comment when Lloyd appeared at the stairs, his blades drawn and ready for battle, half-dressed and high on adrenalin. The young warlock couldn't contain himself, he burst out laughing, having to duck his head into his arms to save himself some dignity. "You idiot! Right on time too!"

Colette, who had been watching the scene unfold with growing worry, raced to Lloyd's side, her eyes wide in horror as she tugged on his bare arm. She didn't really notice that he was wearing no shirt or gloves, and hastily begged, "Lloyd, please do something! I think Sheena's going to kill him, it's horrible!"

Lloyd blinked, momentarily startled. He'd woken up to a massive crash followed by a very feminine scream, and his instincts had bolted him out of bed half-dressed with his swords in hand. His body relaxed when he realized it was Sheena and Zelos that had made the uproar, and his hands loosened on his blades as a hint of a smile tweaked his lips. 'I should have known...' He commented mostly to tease Zelos, "I don't know, it looks like it may very well be warranted..." Colette bit her lower lip in worry, and he forced himself to smother his laughter, and he called out calmly to Sheena, "What did he do this time Sheena?"

"This bastard–" Sheena raised one bare foot and brought it down hard on Zelos' shoulders for emphasis, "snuck into my room before I even had a chance to get dressed this morning!"

Lloyd raised his eyebrows as her words sunk in, and without really commanding himself to, his eyes drifted over the female ninja with curiosity. Her nightgown was a simple pale purple slipover that barely reached her knees, a small slit running up the right side to give him a perfect view of her long bare legs. Blushing self-consciously, Lloyd forced his eyes away from her naked skin and forced his voice to not quiver, "W-Well that certainly changes things..."

Colette made a muffled squeak of protest between her hands that had covered her mouth, her eyes wide with horror as she watched Sheena give Zelos another kick to the ribs. She grabbed Lloyd's arm tightly, giving it a shake that rattled the poor boy from head to toe without really meaning to. She couldn't form words to express her terror.

"Okay, okay!" Lloyd laughed, gently prying Colette's fingers from his arm, wondering if he was going to bruise later from her iron grip. Still unable to stop himself from chuckling, he called to Sheena, "Sheena, are you sure you want to commit murder in front of six witnesses? Regardless of what you've done, I don't think they'll let you get away with murdering the Chosen. There's only so much the Chief of Mizuho can do."

Sheena paused, then with a grumble of annoyance she hopped off of Zelos, sparing him one final kick before she ran her hand through her loose hair. She hadn't been able to dress or put up her hair before Zelos had barged into her room, but she hadn't really cared about that, too busy with punishing the Chosen. She froze where she stood, suddenly realizing that everyone, _everyone_, saw her now. Her cheeks reddened and with a strangled squeak she raced by Lloyd and the others, disappearing upstairs as the door to her room slammed shut half a second later.

"I don't think I have ever seen any human being move so fast in my entire life." Raine mused after she finished off her coffee with a long gulp, hiding her smile behind the rim of her cup as Genis burst into silent guffaws beside her. Even Regal and Presea gave a sign of their rare smiles at the comment, having to duck back into their game to mask their amusement.

Colette, finally calm, returned to her seat where she had been watching Regal and Presea play chess. Lloyd stood where he was for a long moment, trying to get control of his rapidly beating heart. Something had switched inside of his body at the sight of Sheena in such a revealing wardrobe, and he had to shake his head quite a few times before he got control of himself. Zelos was still on the floor, whimpering pathetically as he curled into the fetal position, bruised and battered everywhere.

With a low sigh, Lloyd knelt beside the injured Chosen, crossing his arms across his bare chest, speaking plainly, "You really ought to know better than to mess with Sheena, especially this early in the morning. What if she actually killed you this time?"

"You mean like how she normally always does when I try to prove my love?" Zelos asked with wide puppy-dog eyes, uncurling slowly from the ball, peeking up at Lloyd through the gap in his arms. The swordsman didn't look anywhere near the definition of the word 'convinced'. Sitting up with surprising speed for someone who had just been beaten within an inch of his life, the Chosen added cheerfully, "Besides, I couldn't resist. She was sleeping in my house, it was a chance I couldn't pass up!"

"You mean unlike all the other times you told us about...?" Lloyd questioned with some confusion, not understanding what Zelos was talking about. The Chosen loved to flaunt his relationship with Sheena to everyone, despite the fact that she never seemed to act like she cared anything about him. The many visits to his house was always one of his favourite stories. "I don't get it Zelos."

"That would be because there's nothing to get, Lloyd." Genis explained tiredly, shaking his head in exasperation as Zelos bounded to his feet and raced upstairs for another round of punishment. Lloyd got to his feet, still confused, and the young warlock explained wearily, "You idiot... Sheena and Zelos really don't have anything going on between them, he's just saying that because he's an idiot. Sheena can't stand him, why else would she beat him up so often?"

Lloyd only answered with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. A cool breeze from the open window painfully reminded him that he wasn't wearing a shirt, and with a blush he hurried back up to his room, ignoring the Chosen who was knocking repeatedly on Sheena's door. 'She's going to kill him one of these days, and I don't think I'll stop her when she goes for his throat... I'm actually getting sick of his antics, I don't understand why he just won't leave Sheena alone...'

Idly searching the large room for his clothes, his mind wandered to the reason why they were still in Meltokio. 'I feel kind of stupid staying here for the entire week, regardless of this party or whatever... I should be in Heimdall, getting ready to fight with Kratos...'

"_I will give you one week to prepare for the battle... I will be waiting for you at the seal. Do not disappoint me, Lloyd."_

Still frowning darkly as he shrugged into his shirt and began to button it up, he glared down at his swords which lay innocently on the bed, inviting him to train. Even as he automatically reached out to handle them, the fierce looks on everyone's faces from his memory made him recoil with a sheepish grin. 'They all told me to relax this week, so I wouldn't be exhausted for the battle... But how can I rest with so much tension...?'

Even as he thought it, he sighed in defeat. It was the entire reason why they were staying in Meltokio, the busy atmosphere was meant to be distracting. They had only spent one night and already it seemed like Sheena was going to kill their host by the end of the second. 'Heh... Well, at least I won't die of boredom... I'll need to keep an eye on Sheena to make sure she doesn't do anything she might regret by the end of the day...'

"STUPID DAMN CHOSEN!"

'Well, legally regret anyway.' Lloyd corrected himself with a chuckle, slipping his feet into his boots before sliding his swords onto his waist. He left his room to see Sheena, now fully dressed, once again beating on the whimpering Zelos, this time with what looked like the poor man's own sheathed sword. Torn between standing back and watching the torture, or stopping it, Lloyd chuckled to himself as Zelos tried to drag himself away, but Sheena held him firm by grabbing his ankle and dragging him back. He called over in as casually a voice as he possibly could, "Honestly Zelos, if you stopped pestering her, she wouldn't have a reason to hit you like this." 'Though it's amusing to watch, so I'm not complaining... He deserves it.'

"I didn't do anything!" Zelos begged, rolling onto his back to protect his bruised tailbone, wrapping his arms around himself. Neither warrior looked convinced at his exclamation, but Lloyd grudgingly went to his rescue anyway. Taking the frustrated Sheena by the hand, he pulled her away gently from the downed Chosen and led her downstairs.

"I wanted to beat him dead this time..." Sheena grumbled under her breath as she reluctantly followed Lloyd down the stairs to the lounge room where the rest of their friends were sitting.

"You would've gotten arrested." Lloyd told her with a smile, ruffling her hair playfully as they rounded the stairs to enter the living room.

Raine had once again buried her nose into her book while Genis was miming the new spells he had learned over the past few months. Presea and Regal were playing their second round of chess now, both deep in thought despite the fact that only three pieces in total had been moved on the wooden board. Colette, upon seeing the two, hopped to her feet with a broad smile, running over to Sheena and taking the summoner by the hand. "Sheena, I heard about this really amazing place beside the Coliseum, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me!"

"Eh... What?" Sheena asked, startled by the happiness in the Chosen's voice. She was still mildly annoyed with her Tethe'allan counterpart, and it was still too early for her to manage to put a smile on her face. Yet none of this seemed to bother Colette, she was already bouncing with energy. "B-But.."

Raine set her book aside after marking her place, removing her reading glasses as she settled against her hard-backed chair, "I think that's a wonderful idea, we came to Meltokio under the premise of enjoying ourselves and relaxing after all. Wandering around the city might be good for you, a time to bond perhaps."

"Please say yes Sheena, it'd be so fun for us girls to hang out for awhile! Presea can come too, and the Professor!" Colette was bouncing up and down with full force now, her eyes wide and excited as her wings threatened to burst from her back. She glanced hopefully at Raine, who had hung with her head with an exasperated sigh, but that didn't seem to faze the blond Chosen. "It'll be great! Please say you'll come!"

Sheena moaned inwardly at her luck, glancing hopelessly at Lloyd, who was chuckling quietly in the background with Genis about something. The moment Colette had begun talking to her, he'd slipped off to allow her some time with her female friends, wandering off to talk to his only real male counterpart his age. She glanced up at the ceiling with a look that begged for some outside help, but no lightning struck the ground. With very forced cheer, she answered the hyper blond, "Alright, I guess I can come if it means so much..."

"Then I, my fair hunnies, shall be your escort!" Zelos burst in as if on some hidden cue, attempting to wrap his arms around both Colette and Sheena. The summoner was too quick, and she bounded out of range so the redheaded swordsman was left with one arm hanging empty while the other rested on Colette. He added cheerfully to the puzzled blond, recovering with impressive speed, "I couldn't dare let you beautiful ladies walk alone in this city without a proper escort!"

"Ughn, if he's coming I'm not going anywhere." Sheena grunted unhappily, throwing herself down onto the couch beside Raine, scowling at the floor. The half-elven professor laughed quietly to herself, but said nothing.

"Aww, Sheena–" Zelos began to whine, only to be cut off by the deadly glare she sent at him. Deciding that he wanted to live to see Seles' next birthday, he wisely shut his mouth and turned back to Colette. "O-Okay then, so where and what is this awesome place you were talking about?"

"I don't know really, I just heard some of your lady friends talking about it earlier, and I got really curious, so I asked. They told me where it was but they wouldn't explain what the shop sold..." The blond's face fell for half a second in disappointment, but all too quickly she perked back up, adding cheerfully, "So that's why I want to explore! I want to know what sort of store it is!"

Sheena was nearly beside herself with laughter as she realized what store Colette was talking about, her entire body shaking as she attempted to keep her giggles as silent as possible. 'Oh Martel, not _that place_! Of all the shops she had to pick to see, it had to be the one that Zelos put his name on!' Raine, as amused as she was, let her head fall into her hands, shaking it slowly from side to side. Regal, having overheard the entire thing, had closed his eyes in an effort to stop himself from laughing outright at the Chosen's naivete. 'She really doesn't understand... Does she...?'

Presea, confused by her older companions' laughter and Colette's confusion, piped up softly, "Regal... I'm afraid I don't understand what is so funny about this shop that Colette mentioned... Perhaps we all should go to examine it...?"

At this, Sheena's laughter turned into a howl of mirth, and even Raine couldn't keep a straight face on, leaning on the shivering summoner as she began to giggle uncontrollably. She couldn't help herself despite all of her composure, the girls' innocence was astounding as it was charming. 'Of course Zelos' girlfriends would be at a shop like _that_! Geez Colette, why are you so innocent?' Barely able to breathe through her giggles, Sheena attempted to explain, "Uh, Colette, Presea... The shop you're talking about may not be..." Unable to stop laughing, she hopelessly looked at Raine for aid, her entire body shaking with mirth.

Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, Raine sat up tall, shaking her hair out of her eyes as she tried to ignore the still-laughing Sheena. Looking as seriously as she could possibly at the confused Colette, she explained wearily, "Um... Well, you see Colette... I don't believe that particular shop would be appropriate for you to shop at, the items they sell are..." She blushed self-consciously as she grasped for a word to describe what she no-doubtedly knew the certain store probably sold.

Much to her relief, Regal jumped in to save them, coughing once to capture both Colette's and Presea's attention. Zelos had wisely not said anything and joined in with Genis and Lloyd to avoid getting mixed up way over his head in such a sensitive topic. Regal explained in a placid voice, able to keep his face completely set much to the women's chagrin, "You see, that certain store that Zelos' lady friends spoke about wouldn't be appropriate for two young ladies to be shopping at. It's considered more of an 'adult' store than for children, or teenagers for that matter. For you to go and explore it would be quite awkward."

"Thank you Regal." Raine sighed in relief, elbowing Sheena who was still giggling fit to burst on the couch despite how red her face was. The summoner hurriedly tried to stifle her laughter, though her shoulders didn't seem to want to stop shivering. Colette and Presea both looked as though they were about to question Regal's explanation, so Raine hastily made to change the subject, "Well since the shop is out of the equation, uh, where else can we possibly go?"

"I don't know about you guys, but since I'm here, I might as well brush up on my solo skills." Sheena announced with a shrug, getting to her feet and calmly patting the pouch on her hip. "I've been fighting in a group for so long I think I've actually forgotten how to fight on my own. I'm heading to the Coliseum to practise."

The moment Lloyd heard the word 'practise', his head jerked up from his talk with Genis and he was on his feet in seconds. He pretty much teleported to Sheena's side, grinning so broadly his smile couldn't fit his boyish face. "Did you say practise? I'll come too, I could use some!"

Sheena rolled her eyes, ready to scold the twin swordsman but the words died in her throat as she realized what it would mean. 'I get to be alone with him for a few blissful hours, plus no Zelos. That's enough of an argument for me.' With a grin that nearly matched his, she took his hand and announced cheerfully, "Well then that's settled! See you guys later!" Ignoring the complaints from both Zelos and Raine, she practically dragged the startled swordsman out of the mansion and into the crowded Meltokio streets.

"Wow Sheena, you _really_ wanted to get away from Zelos." Lloyd commented with a hearty laugh, walking calmly beside Sheena now that they had escaped from the others. She just shot him a brilliant smile that left him momentarily dazzled and speechless as they continued down the long street.

"That's pretty much the main reason why I was looking for any excuse to leave the house." Sheena told him with a laugh, shaking her head in amusement. They had now slowed now that they were a good distance away from the mansion, walking casually through the crowds, enjoying each other's company. Sheena looked thoughtful as she added slowly, "However, since I have to go back there tonight, I might need to put a few seals on my door so he doesn't sneak in..."

"Wouldn't you ruin his house if he opened the door only to get an explosion nailing him in the face?" Lloyd asked curiously, receiving another brilliant grin for a reply. Chuckling at her innocent expression, he entwined his hands behind his head and continued cheerfully, "Well... I guess I can't blame you, he has gotten worse since we got here..."

"You call that worse? I actually think he's mellowed down a little." Sheena admitted, though she didn't look pleased. Shaking her head at his confusion, she explained wearily, "He was a hardcore pervert when I met him, he'd do anything to get a good look at me, and I mean anything. He tried to peek on me in the shower, sneak into my room, try to hug me from behind, you name it, he'd do it... It looks like he's mellowed out, just a little."

"He's still sneaking into you room." Lloyd grinned, immediately casting out the idea of Zelos sneaking in on Sheena taking a shower. The images that brought on were anything but pleasant as he imagined what she would do to the poor Chosen. "I'm glad he wasn't with us early on, if it wasn't you beating on him, the Professor might have done it instead."

"That'd be funny to see." Sheena admit with a grin, stretching her arms above her head with a slight yawn. "Yeesh... I'm so tired. I hope I don't fall asleep in the middle of the round. I was really bored fighting those stupid rangers, they're not so good. Maybe I should try the advanced level. I'd get more of a challenge..."

"I'm sure you can wipe the floor with 'em." Lloyd teased, watching with an odd satisfaction as her cheeks turned red and she looked at the ground in embarrassment. Glancing up at the bright blue sky, he continued playfully, "I'll cheer for ya as long as you cheer for me."

"Of course!"

**AN**

**Chapter one of the fic "Jealousy". I have finally settled on this name, so I won't change it no matter what happens... XD Yeah, at this moment, there hasn't been any (points to the story name) because I'm just getting into it. I know I asked a load of questions about the 'comedy' thing, lol, and truth be told I had a whole other slapstick thing in my head that I chickened out with... This kinda comedic thing (subtle hints and suggestive jokes XD) is kinda up my alley since I'm pretty much in short, a perverted teenager with a sugar addiction. Hehehe. I'm rating this story "M" for various reasons, adult content, violence, coarse language, (maybe drinking, lol), and for um, lmao, limish content... Maybe. Hehe.**

**Btw, I have no idea if "those" sort of shops actually exist in that universe, but hey, artistic/comedic licence. XD**

**Also... I give credit to my good friend C9 for inspiring the beginning scene, credit goes to where it's due, rule one of the unwritten code of authors! XD**

**Sky**


	2. A Battle and A Secret

"Whoo, go Sheena!"

Sheena smiled a little to herself as she picked Lloyd's voice out of the crowd's loud cheers, shaking her hands once as she stood in the centre of the large arena, awaiting her opponent's arrival. She had easily been able to take care of the first three enemies that had stood in her way, they had been laughable compared to her current strength. 'One more to go...' She had watched and cheered as Lloyd had gone before her, and he had simply cleaned up without any effort at all, much to her delight. She had expected as much, but now that it was her turn, she was remarkably pleased to hear his voice cheering for her.

She watched with mild surprise as the large doors swung open, revealing her last opponent. She had to cran her neck to look up at the mammoth armour-clad man, and her stomach dropped a few inches in her torso. He easily was handling an axe about as tall as the summoner herself, and she saw his beady eyes grinning at her through his iron helm. He wore the bottom half of a battle-suit, the leather seemed to be crying as it tried to stretch across his giant tree-trunk legs, and he had no clothing on his torso, revealing the bands of rippling muscle across his hairy chest. Sheena swallowed noisily.

'Oh... Shit...'

The crowd behind her had gone silent, as though they were already predicting her doom. Gritting her teeth, her hand gently caressed her Asura card, her body tensing in anticipation. 'The bigger they are...' She reminded herself inwardly, crouching slightly into her stance, 'the harder they fall.'

"BEGIN!"

The man brought his axe down with more speed than Sheena ever would have expected, and only the years of Mizuho training she had undergone saved her. She threw herself backwards with a grunt, the sharp steel of the weapon sinking into the ground as the wind it created blew her hair from her face. "Holy–!"

Blocking out the commentary from the sidelines, she focussed her mind on her enemy, taking in everything she could see. He truly was a giant, he was larger than her in every way possible, and the axe he was holding seemed way too heavy for her to lift even if she wanted to. He handed the axe with one hand, his other steadying his body as he used all of his strength to swing it, and his legs seemed rooted to the ground whenever he swung the deadly weapon. On his hands, she noted with shock, were two Exspheres, glowing a sickening crimson as he faced off with her.

'Two...?' Sheena had to throw herself to the left as he approached her, ignoring the shooting pain up her left leg from the sudden movement. He moved clumsily though not without purpose, and she could see that he was trying to corner her. He had already taken half of the arena away from her, blocking off her escape with his sheer size as he lumbered forwards and slightly inwards, causing her to dance away from his giant axe. 'Jeez he's big!'

"Dancing is pretty, but not good enough to save you." The giant spoke with a husky laugh, bringing his axe down dangerously close to her side. When she tried to avoid him, her left shoulder touched the far wall, and she hissed as she realized he'd pinned her in. He was laughing as he held his axe above his head with both hands, ready to bring it down right on her with everything he had.

'Find your opening, and take it.' Sheena didn't waste a moment, using the wall to push off, she threw herself at him, her hands already moving to channel her mana into her card. "Pyre Seal!" The resulting explosion barely rocked the giant back a foot, and with a hiss she tried again, this time pulling a second Asura from her pouch, focussing even more of her mana into the seal. "Again! Pyre Seal!"

This time it did the trick, he was sent backwards with a surprised grunt, but it was enough for Sheena to dodge around his wildly swinging weapon, giving her the opening she had been looking for. 'If I put enough mana into it, I should be able to float him for half a second, that'll be enough to hit him from below...' "CYCLONE SEAL!"

The attack barely lifted the man off the ground, but it was enough as Sheena raced in, moving her hands as quickly as possible as the Asura card began to glow with her mana. "Okay... Let's do it!" With a grunt, she slapped the card against his back, hissing, "Demon Seal!" He staggered forward, giving her enough time to hit him in the side with another seal, but this time he seemed ready, whirling around and swinging his axe low.

Sheena gasped as she ducked, sliding her left leg backwards to steady herself. Her eyes widened in horror as her left ankle simply gave out with a groan of pain. Off balance, she collapsed onto the ground, her left leg curling uselessly underneath her as the man's axe whizzed harmlessly an inch above her nose. Seeing that she couldn't get up, he approached her, standing over her with an ugly smile that made her heart freeze in dread.

Lloyd, having watched all of this from the stands, instinctively got to his feet, but the action was lost in the crowd as the rest of them did too, craning their necks to see the end of the battle. The cheering was nearly deafening as he watched the axeman stroll up to the fallen summoner, and he could picture the ugly look of triumph in the man's eyes. His hands twitched towards his swords, and they settled on the handles as the man raised his axe. It took all his strength to root his feet to the floor and remain still and silent. His blood thundering in his ears, Lloyd muttered, urging her in a voice lower than a whisper, "Get up Sheena... Get up!"

The axe came down with a murderous shriek, but Sheena threw herself into a roll, narrowly avoiding getting sliced in two. Curling her arms tightly against her chest, she rolled farther right, avoiding the second attempt on her life. 'Dammit, my stupid ankle... I can't even stand!'

The man was far too close for comfort now, she could see her reflection in the Exsphere. Something clicked into place then, and she didn't think twice as she used her hands to push off from the ground, forcing herself up, landing mostly on her good leg. Wincing at the throb of pain from her ankle, she spun out of his reach, her hand already moving to grab the hidden kunai she kept on her at all times. With a hiss, she dodged his third swing, jumping in as close as she dared. His hand was now level with her eyes, and with a snarl of defiance, she plunged the dagger into his Exsphere, watching with a dark satisfaction as the crystal shattered on impact.

She didn't waste a second, repeating the performance on his right hand, watching as his entire body sagged under the stress of the heavy weaponry and armour. With a little smile, she watched him collapse to the ground, completely exhausted without the power of his Exspheres. Her ankle moaned under the weight she tried to put on it, and clumsily, she leaned on her right leg instead, wincing a little as the commentator declared the battle.

She barely remembered making her way back to the resting room, but she flopped down on the edge of the bench, cradling her injured ankle in her lap, removing her boot with a wince. She gingerly rubbed the injury, careful not to irritate the already inflamed skin, 'Damn... I should've known better than to fight with this stupid thing... It was fine this morning, all the jumping must have aggravated it.'

"Sheena?" Lloyd asked worriedly, ignoring the calls from the receptionist as he walked into the room, sitting down beside his friend. She smiled weakly at him, but he saw her hands move quickly to pull her pantleg back down to hide the injury. Frowning, he asked sternly, "Sheena, what happened out there? Your ankle just gave way like you broke it or something. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I must've sprained it jumping on Zelos this morning, I should've known better than to trust that he'd break my fall." Sheena lied flatly, shrugging a little. She had lowered her eyes however to avoid looking at Lloyd, knowing he could read her like an open book. 'Why does he have a selective intuition...?'

"Sheena, show me your ankle." Lloyd's voice was stern, and looking up into his serious adust eyes, she knew better than to argue with him. Silently, she rolled up her pantleg, looking away as she let him see what had happened. Lloyd's eyes widened in shock at the sight of her reddened skin, around her ankle was a perfect tattoo of the giant tree's root which had wrapped itself around her in the tower and dragged her into the shadows. The half-closed gash was still a dark red colour, giving hint to a deep tissue damage that must have gotten inflamed. "Th-This is from..."

"When Zelos saved me, we didn't have time to stop, chat, or heal. I put a gel on it and hoped for the best." Sheena explained tiredly, slowly pulling her pantleg back down to hide the torn flesh. The feel of the fabric rubbing against the wounds only made her flinch, but she ignored the pain as she put her boot back on. "I guess it didn't take as well as I hoped..."

"You should've told Raine about it before we got to Meltokio, how long has it been hurting like this?" Lloyd asked with narrowed eyes, recoiling as he imagined how long she had been hiding her pain. They had walked from the Fooji mountains to Meltokio, weary to be caught by any of Mithos' rogue supporters who may have had it out for them, and imagining how long she must have suffered with her wound made him ill. "Sheena..."

"Seriously, it's nothing to worry about!" Sheena exclaimed, completely flustered by the worried look on the twin swordsman's face. She tried to get to her feet but her ankle cried out violently in pain, causing her to stumble and fall back onto the bench with a groan. "Ughn!"

"You can't walk like this..." Lloyd sighed, shaking his head a few times as he clambered to his feet, debating on how to get her across the city to the mansion. He smiled suddenly, and held out his arms for her, explaining cheerfully, "Fine, if you can't walk, I'll just carry you back."

"H-Hell no! I can walk!" Sheena protested, blushing to the roots of her hair at his offer, attempting again to stand. But as before, her ankle failed her, and she wobbled slightly before Lloyd's hands gently settled on her shoulders to steady her. Glaring at the ground for her weakness, she mumbled awkwardly, "R-Really Lloyd, I d-don't want you to carry me around Meltokio..."

"I don't mind Sheena." Lloyd insisted, not really understanding why she was so flustered. 'Does she not want to go back to the mansion or something...?' He'd already made up his mind, she could barely stand on both feet, let alone walk, and he wouldn't leave her there by herself. Whether or not she liked it, she was going back with him. "You're either in my arms or over my shoulder Sheena, I'm taking you back so Raine can take a look at you. That ankle won't heal without proper attention."

"You wouldn't dare." Sheena tried to hop a step away from him as he advanced on her, a sly light in his eyes as he kept his arms open, ready to snatch her. Looking around fearfully for an exit, she cursed when she couldn't find one. Lloyd had her cornered, and she had the uneasy feeling that he was serious about throwing her over his shoulder if she kept on fighting him. She had no chance of escaping him with her injury, he could easily catch her and drag her along by force. "G-Get away from me!"

"Over my shoulder or in my arms Sheena, it's your choice." Lloyd warned her again, his eyes dancing with childlike play though he managed to keep his voice entirely serious, a feat for him. He took a dangerous step closer, watching with some satisfaction as she grew desperate to escape. She had shrunk back entirely into the corner, her eyes wide with fear and the same crimson flush rising steadily in her face. "Which is it?"

Sheena bit her tongue, not really in defiance but mostly out of embarrassment. She had no desire whatsoever to be tossed over his shoulder like a sack of rice, but she also didn't want him to carry her back to the mansion. She could only imagine what rumours she'd be facing if she arrived there like that. 'That stupid Chosen would never let me hear the end of it!' Taking a deep breath as she knew defeat was imminent, and kicking herself fiercely for her lack of pride, she finally mumbled to herself, 'I cannot believe I'm saying this...' She answered him in a low mutter, "Your arms then..."

"Okay." Lloyd grinned, all signs of fake menace gone with her grudging answer. He didn't pause, knowing she could change her mind in an instant, and with a flourish he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her the only way he knew how, bridal style. Her arms wound around his neck, more out of instinct than desire, and he chuckled when he felt her face grow hot against his shoulder. "There, now you don't need to walk."

"I'd still rather walk." Sheena muttered under her breath, her voice already muffled as she hid her face in Lloyd's chest to avoid being seen. He held her rather easily and that surprised her, but when she felt the strength of his arms curled under her knees around her back, she knew that he had truly grown much stronger since they had first met. She blushed fiercely as her mind began to imagine what it would feel like to have him on top of her... 'Dammit, stop it!'

Not noticing Sheena's inner turmoil, Lloyd proceeded to carry her out of the coliseum, not seeing the glances some of the participants gave him. His ears were not as dull however, and he picked up some whispers from a few random viewers in line.

"Would you look at that, he's carrying her like they just got married or something. That's really cute."

"You don't see young men doing that often these days, how chivalrous."

"That's charming... Oh and look at the young lady, she's so red she matches his clothes!"

Lloyd frowned a little, noticing that with each whisper Sheena was growing more and more uncomfortable, hiding her face against his chest as her entire body stiffened. Cradling her more protectively, he walked into the street, enjoying the warm sunlight that rained down on them. He felt Sheena perk up just a little, raising her face into the sunlight, her frown melting into a gentle smile. Lloyd smiled in return, glad to see her in better spirits. The sun did wonders for the summoner, and he found himself enchanted by the gentle violet hues in her dark hair. He asked quietly, "Feeling better now?"

"Now that we're away from the stupid crowds, yes." Sheena answered with a grumble, but she couldn't deny the pleasure of holding onto him as he carried her through the streets. She ignored the second glances some people in the streets gave them, nuzzling just a little into Lloyd's hold with a quiet sigh. She felt better when he rested his chin on top of her head, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat against her shoulder. 'It's nice... No one's ever done this for me before, it's really nice...'

"I'll have to get Raine to look at your ankle when we get back..." Lloyd sighed with mock exasperation, watching as she huffed and let go of his neck, crossing her arms instead. He felt odd as she dropped her arms from him, and he pouted at her fake anger. "Sheena, don't get mad at me... I just want you to be okay."

"I'm not an invalid." Sheena grumbled half-heartedly, but she responded to the aching warmth in his voice and wound her arms around his shoulders again. He laughed at her easy surrender, but she didn't reply, watching with some frustration and embarrassment as he carried her down the streets towards the mansion. Embarrassment and pride winning out over her affection, she grumbled under her breath, "I don't need this kind of chivalry, I'm no damsel in distress Lloyd."

"Oh hush, Raine will fix you up then you can go wherever you want, without me if that's how you want it to be." Lloyd told her with some injury, but he tried his best to cover it. He understood the summoner's want to be independent, he felt it too, but he felt this strange compulsion to protect her regardless. He didn't just _want_ her to be okay, it had transformed into a _need_. Falling silent, he continued the walk, wondering numbly, 'She's gotta be pissed at me now... Damn...'

'Dammit, why am I so stupid? I can't act feminine to save my life. He's just looking out for me, why am I getting so defensive?' Sheena closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath to steady her rapidly racing heart before she risked a peek up at him through her bangs. His jaw was set in a expression close to anger, but his eyes reflected pain, something that jolted Sheena. 'Did I... I hurt his feelings?' Wincing at the pain the thought caused her, she began softly, "Lloyd...?"

"Yeah?" Lloyd looked down, startled to see the sincere apology in her eyes, and the emotion that made her lips tremble as the formed his name. Instantly concerned that he had somehow injured her ankle while carrying her, his grip redoubled on her slim form and he asked worriedly, "Did I hurt you Sheena? Am I walking too fast? Should I slow down? I'm sorry."

"Wh-What? N-No, this pace is fine..." Sheena, completely bewildered by the complete flip in his attitude. She noticed his hold had tightened, but not uncomfortably, and she was resting more securely against his chest now. Blushing slightly, she continued, "Lloyd, I'm sorry I snapped at you... I'm just not used to this kind of stuff... I don't get carried around that often, I'm supposed to be tough, you know?"

"You don't have to be tough all the time, Sheena. You're allowed to be weak when you feel weak." Lloyd told her simply, smiling at the fact that he had to tell her this. She was too caught up in her facade. He watched with a secret pleasure as she flushed red, ducking to hide her face into his shoulder, muttering incoherently into his shirt. Unable to help it, he laughed, setting his chin on top of her dark hair, "You know that regardless of what happens, if you're smiling, laughing, or crying, I'll always stand by you, right?"

'Do I really know that Lloyd?' Sheena found herself wanting to ask, feeling the throb of pain in her chest that she had come to accept over the past few months. It only had grown as she found herself falling even more for the swordsman, regardless of what she told herself. Every time she watched him smile at Colette, another piece of her heart shattered and fell away from her. Forcing herself to hide the pain, she smiled weakly up at him, feeling him nuzzle into her hair before they were walking again. 'Lloyd... You're such a dork...'

By the time they reached the mansion, Genis, Presea, Colette and Zelos had all vanished, leaving only Raine, Regal and the butler left. Lloyd was careful to be as silent as possible when opening the door, and he sighed in relief when he saw the two adults pouring over the chessboard that had been the focus of entertainment for the man lately. The swordsman thought to himself with an odd smile, 'Guess they must be out somewhere in the city... I'm actually glad... Sheena's embarrassed enough as it is... No need to let the others know about this.'

He set Sheena on the edge of the couch, coughing once to get their attention. Raine raised one hand in a silent gesture, her eyes still focussed on the board before a bit of a smile curved her lips and she moved her rook in position to take Regal's king. she announced triumphantly though not withot a hint of vanity, "And that, my friend, is checkmate." Looking up then, she noticed Sheena rubbing her ankle with a grimace, giving her a good view of her pain. Raine sighed, smoothing an invisible crease in her robe before asking tiredly, "What happened?"

"Your wound from the Great Tree has aggravated itself again?" Regal questioned, his attention successfully diverted from his loss. Sheena didn't look up at him, though he noticed her eyes flickered once to Lloyd before her cheeks reddened. 'She surely couldn't have walked back here by herself...' He glanced at Raine, whose eyes betrayed the same thoughts in his mind, but he didn't say a word, knowing the young warriors had to sort things out for themselves.

"Well, let me have a look at it then..." Raine sighed with mock exasperation, getting up from her seat to walk over to the injured summoner. Sheena didn't meet her eyes as she rolled up her pantleg, wincing as the fabric scratched at the wound. Raine was careful to keep her face impassive as she knelt beside the young ninja, her eyes keen as she studied the wound. 'It could very well be infected after such an extended period... Her stubbornness could very well cost her her life... It's inflamed for certain...' "Alright, I think my First-Aid will do for your ankle, but I want you to keep off of it for the rest of the day. I don't know how deep the damage is, or if it's even infected. So you're to remain here for the rest of the day, understood?"

"Do I have a choice?" Sheena asked with heavy sarcasm, but when Raine simply raised an eyebrow, the ninja sighed. Nodding once to show she understood and wouldn't cause a fuss, Sheena watched as Raine began to focus her mana, causing her hands to glow with an odd greenish hue.

"First-Aid!"

Lloyd watched as the mana flowed straight into the wound, shooting off several sparks as the skin began to glow before her wound sparkled with mana. 'Good...' Sheena sighed softly as the warmth sank into her ankle and around her foot, slowly healing the damage in her tissue before sealing the cut, leaving only a faded scar. A deep rooted ache rang out in his chest as his eyes focussed on the scar, coupled with an overwhelming surge of guilt. 'She'll have that scar forever, won't she...?'

* * *

Sheena was silent as a ghost as she slid out of her bed, her bare feet making no sounds as they swept across the thick carpet. She cast a quick glance around her room before she opened the door as quietly as possible, slinking down the empty hall before heading down the stairs. The entire mansion was as still as death.

Sweeping down the stairs, Sheena paused at the door, glancing up at the top floor with a little smile. Her keen ears picked up the snores coming from the men's rooms, telling her that no one had awoken yet. Grabbing her bag before she left, she was out the door, closing it behind her with a whisper.

"The city's so peaceful at night..." Sheena murmured to herself as she walked slowly down the empty streets, admiring the warm glows of the lamps that lit the empty city in the night. Shouldering her bag, she exhaled happily, watching as her breath turned to mist in the cool air. 'It's getting chilly now that fall's fading... Soon it'll start to snow...'

Glancing towards the closed gates, Sheena smiled mostly to herself, stretching her legs casually as she prepared herself for the jump. 'I hope he's still waiting there...' She took a running leap towards the closest home, landing neatly on the roof on her tiptoes. "Ha!" With perfect balance, Sheena lifted her left leg, examining her scarred ankle with interest. Her pantleg was still rolled up to give the wound some air, and she spoke to herself quietly, "The scar won't ever fade, but I'm surprised how easily Raine managed to heal me... I should stay in the mansion tonight, but I promised I'd go see him..."

Grinning at the thought of her awaiting companion, she raced silently across the roof, leaping from the edge to the next, laughing quietly to herself as she did it. It only took her a few moments before she had made it to the great walls, and with a flip that was more dramatic than necessary, she hopped over the rails to land on the grassy area outside of Meltokio's doors.

"I'm really going to have to thank her again for the First-Aid." Sheena reminded herself with a gentle laugh, scanning the dark hills with interest. The pale light from the torches wasn't nearly enough to let her get a good view of the area around her, but she was completely at ease regardless. Crossing her arms against the cool breeze, she looked around curiously for any sign of her awaiting friend. "Now where is he hiding...?"

The soft sounds of grass crushing underfoot alerted her, and her face widening into a smile, she turned to see who she'd been waiting for. Her smile warming, she opened her arms in invitation, exclaiming cheerfully, "There you are! Here I was worried you'd ditch me tonight. I'm glad you're here, I have so much to tell you about today. I missed you."

**AN**

**Dun dun dah.... And before anyone asks, I am not telling you who she went out to meet! It's a secret! XD But seriously, lol, thanks to those who reviewed in the first chapter, I'm hard-pressed to continue so, heehee. Thanks sincerely! And someone (no names) asked me about my unwritten rules of an author XD So I think I'll give you another rule each chapter. Rule #2: Any idea once written is the property of that author, to borrow it without permission is theft, plain and simple. :3 So it's my personal obligation to ask permission from any author about anything that I think might be theirs, in conjuction with rule 1, give credit where it's due!**

**Also, lol, my apologies for the huge amount of sarcasm, it's my native tongue so it tends to get into my stories a lot... Hehe, jokes for me are normally sarcastic and I notice it can tend to get dry, so my apologies if that gets annoying. **

**Btw XD I'm uploading this from school, (I'm there, lol) so my apologies for any typos, I'll fix them the second I get home!**

**Sky**


	3. Irrationality

Lloyd had woken the moment he heard the door in his room open with a soft sigh, but out of sheer force of will, he managed to keep himself in bed. Only when he heard the lower door shut did he get up, and quickly race out of the bedroom. With as much silence as he could muster, he opened the door to the girls' rooms, peeking in to make sure they were still in their beds.

Colette and Presea were fast asleep in their beds, something that momentarily soothed the worry surging through his blood. 'Good...' Like a ghost, he shut their door and went to the next room, and he wasn't surprised to find Raine asleep in a chair, a book dangling precariously from her limp hands. 'Heh... Fell asleep reading, huh...?' As quietly as he could, he shut the door and slunk to the next room that he knew was Sheena's.

His hand froze on the doorknob as he remembered the words she had spoken yesterday about Zelos' sneaking habits. 'Uh... Damn.' Resting his forehead on the door, he silently whacked the wood, gritting his teeth. 'Did she actually put letter bombs on the door to stop him from sneaking into her room? I wouldn't blame her after this morning...' He flashed an angry glare towards the room where the Chosen slept, gritting his teeth further in fury. 'I swear I'll kill him if it was Sheena that left the house and I can't check on her! That idiot!'

He stood outside her room for what seemed like forever, weighing the pros and cons of opening her door. If she had been serious, which he suspected she was, the odds that he'd escape the alleged bomb were very slim and bodily harm was definitely going to happen. 'But...' The worry for his own safety seemed nearly invisible compared to the strangling snake of his fear for her.

Taking a deep breath, the young man steeled himself and opened the door as quickly as possible. Nothing happened. He breathed a very loud sigh of relief before he poked his head in, glancing around the smaller room in concern. He felt as though a hammer had been sunk into his stomach when his eyes came to rest on her bed. It was empty.

'She's...' Lloyd slowly shut the door, his legs suddenly feeling as if they weighed one ton each. He was torn in two by two entirely different emotions, both demanding knee-jerk action. He wanted to leave, give chase to her even though he had no idea where she had gone. The other was more curious, he felt incredibly angry. Angry enough to take out his swords and cut the entire house down. 'Where the hell did she run off to!? She's supposed to keep off her ankle, what if she injures herself again!? How the hell is she going to get back!?'

Completely taken aback by his sudden outburst of fury, Lloyd sank to a sitting position outside her room, hiding his face in his hands. 'What's wrong with me...? Why am I suddenly so pissed off...?' Gritting his teeth as he tried to understand what had flipped the switch, he took several deep breaths to calm himself.

The gentle scent of cherry blossoms was the first thing that he noticed, and almost automatically, he got to his feet and ventured slowly into her room. The scent clung to the bed where she had been sleeping, and he found himself setting on the edge of it, breathing deeply. 'Sheena.' Something hurt in his chest, causing him to wince deeply at the pain. 'Why wouldn't she tell me she had somewhere to go tonight...? I would've gone with her, she's hurt, she should know better...'

"_I'm no damsel in distress Lloyd."_ Her words echoed painfully in his head, telling him exactly what she thought of his attempt to be chivalrous.

He winced again. 'Is she... mad at me....?' The agony he felt from that simple thought shocked him, he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from cursing out loud. He had never really seen her angry with anyone besides Zelos, but then again, she was the type to hide how she felt if she was embarrassed. 'I... Why does it hurt so much...?'

He didn't know how long he sat on the end of her bed, just breathing in her scent, trying to sort through his muddled mess of thoughts. The smell of the sheets was oddly calming yet at the same time it was twisting his stomach in unnatural ways. "What's _wrong_ with me? This is so weird."

The door clicked below him, and mostly out of instinct, Lloyd was on his feet and out the door in seconds, having made it to the banister before he heard the warm voice he recognized. She was talking in a low voice to herself, but somehow she sounded happy. He listened intently, only catching the tail-end of her words.

"...glad I went out to talk to him, I probably wouldn't have slept well if I hadn't..."

Lloyd's blood froze in his veins, and the irrational surge of fury was back with a vengeance. For one heart-stopping moment, all he saw was red and his hands shook like he had just been struck by Volt's lightning. He barely was able to stop himself from jumping the stairs, seizing the summoner by the shoulders and yelling at her to his heart's content. He could actually picture her stunned face, and the anger that she'd react with.

With as much self-control as he could muster, he slunk back into his room, his teeth grit so firmly his jaw was beginning to ache. He had to take several deep breaths before he was calm enough to think again, and he listened intently as Sheena climbed the stairs and entered her room, the door clicking shut behind her. No one else had stirred since he had gotten up to investigate the noise. Part of him was still uneasy, he was debating going to her room to demand an explanation. But.. 'Isn't it her business where she goes on her own time...? She's my friend, don't I trust her...?' Even as he asked the question, he hit himself over the head. 'Of course I trust her!'

_Him._

It echoed in his mind like a poisonous snake's hypnotic hiss, kindling the hellfire of fury that was choking his heart. He didn't understand the feeling, or the reactions his body was begging him to make. He wanted to go into her room, but not to scold her, or find out anything, but simply to hold her, to make sure she would never leave again. Then he wanted to leave her there, and find whoever this 'him' was that had taken her away from the mansion, away from _him_. He didn't really know what he would do to this mystery man, but he was sure it would be remarkably violent. The anger only made him more confused and hurt, driving him to further annoyance.

'Sheena...'

* * *

Sheena stifled a yawn as she trudged slowly down the staircase, hearing the small bustle of the group as they too woke up and prepared themselves for the day. She wasn't surprised to see Raine already awake and refreshed, her nose buried in yet another book, completely ignoring her breakfast. Presea was on the couch with Colette, pointing as the chessboard that she and Regal had taken over yesterday. She pointed at certain pieces, demonstrating with exaggerated slowness how each piece moved and how to use that to an advantage during play. Genis, though he was trying his best to pretend that he wasn't interested, continued to look over at the game, his mouth set in concentration as he too listened to the lesson. Sheena noticed with a jolt that Zelos, Regal, and most importantly Lloyd, were missing from the picture. "Where are the boys...?"

"I believe Zelos took an invitation from one of his lady friends who stopped by quite early this morning." Raine explained without even looking up from her book, her eyes moving surprisingly fast as she read over the tiny print, her fingers nimbly turning the page. "Though that's to be expected... I think Regal and Lloyd left also quite early to train somewhere, they didn't leave a note but their battle wear is gone too, so that's my best guess..."

"Training?" Sheena asked with raised eyebrows, palming her face in exasperation. The entire reason they had left to Meltokio was to avoid anything to do with battle, though she herself had already broken that rule at the Coliseum. Raine raised her head, meeting her eyes with a similar expression of fond annoyance, telling the ninja that she understood what was going through her mind without words. "Great... I'll need to drag him back here."

"I don't believe that would be a very good idea, Sheena." Presea spoke up suddenly, her pale eyes glinting as she looked up from the chessboard and into the surprised gazes of her teammates. Adjusting an invisible crease in her skirt, the tiny axeman continued plainly, "He didn't look much like himself this morning when he left with Regal, I heard him arguing with him about going out to train. Only after a long time did Regal agree to go. I think Lloyd is angry about something and is using the physical strain to meet his emotional needs."

"Angry...?" Sheena asked softly, blinking several times before her heart skipped several agonizing beats. She rarely had seen the adust-eyed young man angry, and the idea was actually quite scary to think of. 'What...?' Chewing on her lower lip nervously, she debated on bolting out the door, that her body seemed anxious to do, or sit down and try to force out any answers she could get from Presea.

Raine, sensing Sheena's internal debate, quickly turned her attention to Presea. The young girl had turned back to the chessboard as though she hadn't spoken, and the professor asked hastily, "Presea, did you happen to hear what they were arguing about? Was there anything that may have hinted about why Lloyd was angry...?"

"He never specified." Presea answered with a shake of her head, though a small tinge of worry had lined her youthful face. She continued uncertainly now, choosing her words very carefully, "However, Lloyd did say that he was going to go and train whether or not Regal accompanied him... Only after that did Regal agree to go along with him, I have no idea where the two went off to spar."

"He must have been really ticked off if he asked to spar with Regal." Genis voiced the thoughts of the group, also looking rather concerned at this new development. In terms of strength, Regal was at the top of the list, and he could give any of them a good training session if they ever asked, which they never did.

'He's not an aggressor, but if he was arguing with Lloyd...' Sheena continued to chew on her lip, trying to fight through her anxiety to see clearly. She had never heard the normally stoic nobleman raise his voice to anyone, and Lloyd was always the first to try to settle internal discord at the first sign of it. 'Those two fighting is like Efreet letting Celsius make it snow in Triet, not impossible, but really unlikely...'

"Sheena, I think you should go and find them." Colette spoke up quietly, the worry reflected in her soulful azure eyes. Sheena met her gaze, and it only took her a flat second before she nodded and raced out the door without a word. With a little smile, Colette said aloud, "I hope she finds them... She's the only one who can really talk some sense into Lloyd..."

"As horrible as it sounds, you're right." Raine agreed with a half-hearted smile, shaking her head. Genis rolled his eyes and left her side to join the two girls at the chessboard, leaving the professor to glance at the half-open door. 'Find them soon, Sheena...'

Sheena was already out of Meltokio by the time her mind had caught up with her body, and looking at the direction of where she was headed, she realized she was making a straight beeline for the Fooji mountains. 'Why do I know they're going to be training there...?' Looking around the area close to Meltokio, she could see no sign of the protozoan that was forced to wait outside for his master and she sighed. 'They used Noishe to take them to the mountains... It'll take me at least half an hour to get there on foot if I'm running flat out... I might as well use a Rheaird...'

Her hand was already in her pocket, producing her private wing pack that she carried on her at all times in case of emergency. Raising it above her head, her violet Rheaird appeared with a loud popping noise, settled on the ground awaiting her mount. Jumping onto it, she revved the throttle with a little smile before taking off into the air.

She kept relatively low, the ground below her turning into one long brown and green-coloured blur as she sped through the air. The mountains were fast approaching, and with ease she pulled her machine up so she could crest the peak to see if her friends were there. She flew a tight circle, searching the ground intently, her worry mounting very quickly.

'There...' Two figures, two small to discern from the height, were sparring, constantly jumping back and forth. Drifting down just a little, she could barely hear their shouting over the thrum of the engine. She settled even lower, hovering now as she spied the two, finally able to make out their features. 'It's definitely them...'

Regal was moving with the grace of a trained dancer, each kick and block blended into the next. He looked as though he was moving on the wind instead of ground as he fluidly avoided Lloyd's angry slashes. Blood was trickling down his cheek from where Lloyd had gotten too close and managed to hit him, but it didn't seem to bother the noble. Lloyd advanced again, roaring a curse as he brought his blade down with incredible strength.

With a muffled grunt, Regal raised his left leg just in time to take the blow from the swordsman, the Angel's Tear harmlessly bouncing off of his Dragon's Fang. He kicked the blade away, jumping backwards as Lloyd jumped forwards with another angry roar. Sweat was dripping from both of their faces, but neither were close to the breaking point. 'He's quite angry... I wonder if he even realizes he's been using all of his mana...?'

A roar of wind broke his focus, and Regal looked up in surprise to see Sheena's Rheaird landing a few metres away from where they were sparring. Lloyd too had looked up, though his surprise faded and his expression became indifferent. His swords found their sheaths, and he turned his back as Sheena jumped off of the machine, not even bothering to put it away. Noishe, who had been watching the battle with what could've been mistaken for boredom, was on his feet the moment he saw Sheena, jumping over to her side with a happy bark.

"Hello Sheena, did you come all the way out here to check up on us?" Regal asked politely, watching as Sheena spent a moment to affectionately fuss over the protozoan. Noishe stuck to her side like glue as she turned her attention to them, and out of the corner of his eye, Regal saw that Lloyd was making every effort possible to not look Sheena in the eye. 'Curious... I don't think I have ever seen him turn his back on her.' "My apologies if we worried you."

"No, you didn't worry me." Sheena replied as calmly as she could, trying to keep her voice from breaking. Lloyd's posture told her that it was her he was angry at, and she immediately felt the worry being replaced by hurt. 'I knew it...' Forcing her face to remain impassive, she turned her focus to Regal and said casually, "I just heard you two were fighting out here, and I figured I'd come to make sure neither of you got into it too seriously..." She raised an eyebrow as Regal's hot blood fell down his chin to splatter onto the dirt, and finished somewhat wearily, "Looks like I was too late though..."

"Ah, this was simply a miscalculation that Lloyd took playful advantage of." Regal explained almost defensively, though he knew that Sheena saw how his eyes flickered to the silent Lloyd. He raised his cuffed hands, wiping the blood away casually, at a loss for words. He knew she had come to see Lloyd, and his being there was hampering her intentions. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with Raine to keep. I promised to show her around the castle's interior."

"That's fine." Sheena smiled a little, picking up on the noble's not-so-subtle hint. She handed over her flight pack, smiling gently at his surprise before explaining kindly, "You can take my Rheaird to get back faster, you look like you're about to fall over. It's okay, I'll walk back with Noishe, he's probably been lonely."

"My thanks Sheena." Regal gave her a courteous bow before walking over to the Rheaird, sparing a glance for the two young warriors. He was unsure of whether or not to offer a ride to Lloyd out of common courtesy, but then Sheena was watching the young man with meaningful eyes. He made his decision quite quickly then. 'Heh... It's better if they are alone. Perhaps she can ease his anger...' "I'll take my leave then."

Sheena waited until Regal disappeared from her view before she turned back to Lloyd, who hadn't spoken a word since she'd arrived. Noishe, still by her side, tugged once on her sleeve, whining quietly as he sensed her growing emotional turmoil. The ninja gently placed her hand on the protozoan's head, taking a deep breath to settle her heart before she called quietly, "Lloyd...?"

"Yeah?" Lloyd asked stiffly, his hands impulsively twitching towards his blades as the anger rocked his tired body. Hearing her voice sent a rush of calm through him, and it was all he could do not to turn around and embrace her. Her voice sounded oddly husky, like she was trying to bite back tears. He girt his teeth angrily, he was too ashamed to show her his irrational anger. 'I can't let her see me like this, it's wrong. It's wrong on every damn level to be angry that she had her own life outside of the group, outside of _me_...'

Sheena bit her lower lip at his stiff tone, it hurt unlike any physical wound she had ever received in her life. Noishe tugged on her sleeve again, whining worriedly as a single tear made its way down her cheek. Raising her free hand to brush it away, she forced her eyes to stare at the dirt as she spoke coolly in an attempt to hide her agony, "Never mind then. It's obvious you don't want to talk to me, so I'll just get the hell out of your hair then."

"Huh?" Lloyd turned around at her bitter tone, but it was too late. She was already walking away from him, giving him an excellent view of her back. He started forward instinctively, only to be stopped by Noishe, who growled menacingly at him. Startled and confused, Lloyd's eyes widened at Noishe's behaviour, asking weakly, "Wh-What? What's wrong Noishe?"

Noishe growled again, jerking his head angrily towards Sheena before he turned his back on his master, trotting quickly after her. Lloyd watched in astonishment as the protozoan raced to her side, tugging tenderly on her sleeve before she turned slightly to pet his giant ear. He nuzzled against her side, whining very quietly in an attempt to console her. Lloyd stared. 'When did they get so close...? I've never sen him get angry like that before, was he... Was he _defending _her from _me_?' Not pausing to consider what that may mean, Lloyd shook his head and gave chase, knowing she could easily jump on Noishe's back and leave him in the dust. "Sheena! Sheena, wait!"

Sheena grit her teeth when she heard him call for her name, and she flinched visibly. Noishe growled quietly at her side, clearly not happy to see her in pain, and with a murmur, she settled him. "It's okay Noishe... I can handle myself..." She slowly turned around, watching Lloyd run down the path to get to her. Noishe turned with her, his fur bristling just a little as her hand rested on top of his head.

"Sheena, I'm not angry with you!" Lloyd exclaimed, injecting more passion than he had ever thought he could into his voice. The pain in her tone as she'd spoken to him shook the boy to his soul, he couldn't believe he had done that to her. She stood just a foot away from him when he stopped, and with the most self-control he had ever used, he forced himself not to close the distance. She raised one eyebrow at his claim, and he hung his head, explaining wearily, "I'm not, really... I'm just..." 'How do I explain this to her without telling her that I know she snuck out last night...?' "I'm frustrated."

Sheena said nothing, knowing that it was only half the story. She had always been adept at reading people, it helped her to stay alive, but Lloyd was the easiest person she had ever met. 'He wears his heart on his sleeve... What's really on his mind right now...?' "Lloyd... You can tell me what's bothering you, I'd like to help..."

Lloyd nearly told her right then and there, overwhelmed by the sheer concern in her voice and eyes. The guilt choked him like a hangman's noose, and he didn't think as he cleared the distance between them and yanked her into his arms with one tug. 'She... I don't deserve someone like her...' She gasped loudly at this but she didn't push him away, her arms curled against his chest in her instinctive attempt to protect herself. Clasping her tightly against him, he buried his face in her hair and whispered painfully, wishing he could take her pain and make it his own, "I'm sorry for hurting you, Sheena... I'm an idiot... Can you ever forgive me?"

Sheena was speechless as he held her, her heart pounding wildly in her ears as the blood pooled in her face. 'H-He's asking for forgiveness...? What the... What's wrong with him?' Even as she thought it, she was relaxing, gently leaning into his chest and inhaling his spicy scent deeply. 'Whatever it is... I'm almost glad...' She murmured into the front of his shirt, her arms falling to loop around his waist, "I forgive you..."

Lloyd said nothing, merely kept his hold on her. He felt her sigh quietly and he watched as she closed her eyes and held him. He ducked his head to absently press his face against her hair, breathing in her heady floral scent. 'She smells so good... I could stand like this forever.'

"Lloyd..." Sheena began hesitantly, glad that he couldn't see her face reddening as she mustered her courage. 'This is probably my only chance... Martel knows what could happen after this... I want to spend as much time with him as possible.' She was careful to hide her blush by pressing her face into his chest, muffling her voice but saving her some dignity. She completed in an embarrassed rush, "Do you– Do you wanna go somewhere today with me?"

"Like where?" Lloyd asked drawing away so he could study her. She didn't let go of his waist though, blocking his attempt and he quit after a second try. She didn't want to be let go, and that suited him fine. He couldn't really think of where she could possibly want to go, she never seemed very fickle about where they journeyed. "Where, Sheena?"

"W-Well, I was thinking maybe we could go to Luin or someplace..." Sheena suggested with a darkening blush, risking a peek through her eyelashes up at the swordsman. He smiled at her gently, running a gloved hand over her cheek with surprising tenderness. Blushing even worse at the caress, Sheena promptly ducked her face into his chest, muttering, "Stupid..."

"Luin sounds like fun, I've been hoping to see what the new funds have done to the place." Lloyd nodded in agreement, his lips quirking in excitement. They hadn't had much of a chance to visit the city that much, but had been supplying Pietro with as much Gald as they could spare. 'They've been going along so well though... I doubt they've got much left to do.' "Sure, I'd like to go visit Luin, I think everybody would have a great time."

Sheena winced as though he'd struck her, muffling her groan of disappointment and exasperation. 'Martel he's an idiot! He can't take _any_ hints at all, can he!?' Taking a deep breath to calm her hurt, she raced through her mind to find something to give him a better nudge in the proper direction. 'Will I honestly just need to tell him straight out...? There has to be something I can say that'll make him see I just want it to be _us_...'

Lloyd felt her stiffen against him the moment he said 'everybody', and he was immediately concerned. She didn't speak, just continued to hide her face in his chest, her hands clutching at the back of his shirt. He gently moved one hand to brush at her hair, causing her to look up at him with wide eyes. He paused then, not understanding why it suddenly became so hard to look away from her face at that moment. 'I...' Something nudged inside of his brain then, and a switch flipped as he realized when she had raised the suggestion, she meant them together. Shaking his head at his foolishness, Lloyd corrected himself weakly, "You meant just us, didn't you?"

Sheena nearly turned her eyes skyward to thank the Gods at that moment, her heart expanding inside of her chest until it became hard to breathe. She nodded once, thankful that he'd finally gotten one of her many subtle hints. She realized with a jolt after her joy subsided that he was still staring at her with a strange expression, and on cue her cheeks began to redden yet again. 'Wh-What's...?' After a long moment of awkward silence, Sheena asked weakly, her voice barely above a whisper, "L-Lloyd...? Are you okay...?"

Lloyd blinked once, snapping himself out of his daze with a shake of his head. 'Why...?' He paused, swallowing past the stone in his throat as the odd yearnings in his stomach howled in remorse for breaking contact. His eyes had been locked on her face, and he had become hyper-aware of every single sensation in that moment. The way her slim body pushed every so subtly against his own, her soft curves meeting the harder planes of his body as her quick and even breathing against his neck sent goosebumps up his arms and down his back. 'She said something...?' "Uh, sorry...? What did you say?"

"Nothing..."

**AN**

**So, that's the third chapter, lol. (grins) I'm nowhere near being done either, I'm having way too much fun... So, the next stop is Luin, where our heros (lmao) get to spend some real alone time together. There's going to be some other pairings hinted at throughout the next few chapters as well, though my main focus will always be Sheena/Lloyd because I am a hopeless fangirl... So, just to clarify, in this stage of the story, Luin is completely rebuilt, statues and all, just in case you were wondering.=I never can manage to fully rebuild the place XD I spend my gald on gels to heal my sorry butt... I'm on my fourth play-through now, and am quite enjoying it. This time, I'm actually going after the blasted Devil Arms and Sword Dancers because I want more of a challenge XD. Watch me get my ass handed to me on a silver platter.**

**PS: Hehe, depending on how it goes, there may or may not be a FULL fictionalized story appearing from me soon. (when I mean full, I mean more than ten chapters for definite) and it's going to be a sequel to ToS (my own version, lol). I've kept this little one in the closet until I could fully wrap my head around all of my ideas, and now that I have a concrete middle and end, I've decided to try my hand. We shall see how it comes along!**

**PPS: I'm uploading this from school XD So sorry for the typos, I'll fix them as soon as I get home!**

**Sky**


	4. Children

"So you're going to Luin?" Raine asked with interest, looking over her shoulder at the two young warriors. Sheena just shrugged her shoulders, but Lloyd's earnest expression couldn't be hidden. The half-elven professor smiled slightly to herself, turning back to the rows of books in the library so she could hide her amusement. Regal had been surprisingly influential with the King, she had been given access to the royal library and had spent most of the day pouring over the documents. Though he had vanished shortly after she had pounced onto the books, she made several reminders to thank him excessively for the opportunity.

"Yeah, I mean, it's been awhile since we visited, and we're curious to see how they've been doing with the reconstruction." Lloyd replied as casually as he possibly could. He didn't know why, but he was oddly eager to be alone with Sheena. The idea had been at the forefront of his mind since she had shyly suggested it, now it was impossible to think about anything else.

"Well, I'm quite curious myself now that you mention it..." Raine began with a little smile, glancing over her shoulder to see both young warriors stiffen and wear identical masks of disappointment. The half-elf nearly grinned at this and quickly faced forward again, making a show of picking a book slowly from the shelf. "However..." She continued with a soft sigh, pretending to be torn, "Regal pulled so many strings to allow me access to this amazing facility... It would be horribly rude of me to cast aside his generosity..."

"Oh, then by all means Professor, stay here." Sheena jumped in almost immediately, trying her hardest to hide her growing enthusiasm at this announcement. Completely oblivious to Raine's inner motives, the summoner continued cheerfully, "We'd hate to tear you away from your reading, wouldn't we Lloyd?"

After getting a sharp elbow to goad him on, Lloyd answered swiftly, "Y-Yeah, just like she said Professor Sage. You enjoy your reading, we can go by ourselves. We'll be back tomorrow at the latest, we won't stay too long." Sheena grinned at him, and he couldn't help but grin back, caught up in a rush of childish excitement. For a moment, he could actually believe that they weren't in the middle of a battle, that in only a few days time he would be fighting his father. He could be what he truly was for a few blessed moments, a teenager.

"Alright then, I'll keep an eye on things then back here." Raine nodded to herself, turning completely around in time to catch the huge smiles the two shot at each other. 'It's a very nice change from the tension from earlier this morning... I'm very happy they settled everything...' Becoming a teacher again quite quickly, she instructed the two firmly, "Be back no later than tomorrow night, I don't like the idea of being separated for any longer than we have to. We may all be capable of protecting ourselves, but the longer we're split for the more likely it is that something will happen. Don't get into any trouble while you're gone, do you understand?"

"We understand Professor." The two chorused at once, before they both spun around and pretty much ran from the library, laughing like children as they went.

Before the door had a chance to close behind them, a very familiar boot stuck itself inside, stopping the door from closing. With a gentle shove, the door opened all the way, and Regal walked inside. He was glancing once over his shoulder at the disappearing teenagers with a strange expression of amusement. When he turned back to see Raine sitting on the edge of the table, a book in hand and two more in her lap, he managed a lopsided smile as his suspicion mounted. "Would it be heresy to suggest that you had something to do with their current moods?"

"Of course not, I fully take credit for their pleasure." Raine replied with a little laugh, watching as the noble allowed himself a rare chuckle too. Settling back on the table, the professor continued quite plainly, "They both need some time alone to settle some personal things between them... If they don't, they may very well cross their wires and ruin their budding relationship..."

Her frown told Regal all he needed to know. He had seen how affectionate she was towards the younger members of their group, her younger brother aside. 'She treats them as though they're her children, not just her students...' Standing beside her, he idly stretched his arms before saying politely, "I believe you're correct... I fully believe that Lloyd may be in the midst of realizing his feelings for Sheena."

"I'm glad." Raine sighed, dropping her book into her lap and leaning back on the table, using her hands to steady her. She hadn't spoken about it to anyone, but she had watched wearily as her student had grown increasingly close to the summoner, until they were nearly inseparable. 'Sheena's feelings were very obvious, she was in love with him before she knew it... But Lloyd remained childishly unaware... It hurt her deeply.' The professor frowned just a little, not having been accustomed to watching someone so young be injured time and time again in front of her eyes. 'Especially when there was so little I could do...'

"They have to find their way on their own, aiding them in this particular journey wouldn't be wise." Regal reminded the half-elven woman gently, not liking the frown she wore. She truly loved her students, he could see that every injury they took, either physical or emotional, would always injure her as well. Even with Presea, who she shared very little in common with, Raine watched over with the eye of a mother hen. Regal frowned a little as the thought of Colette, and he spoke very slowly, knowing he was treading into dangerous territory, "But Colette..."

Raine smiled ruefully, turning to look at the noble who wore a look of indecision and worry. Crossing her right leg over her left, she adjusted her robe before she said slowly, "I believe Colette understands things... She's been allowing Sheena to go to Lloyd's aid instead of rushing in herself. She understands that Sheena can do things that she cannot, and though it hurts her, she only wants Lloyd's happiness. She will be happy for them."

"A truly selfless girl.." Regal chuckled quietly to himself, though the sound was not without sympathy. He had seen how close Colette was to the young swordsman, but to his practised eye, he knew that Lloyd felt nothing more than a sibling love for the blond girl. He had feared that the same bond would be forged between the summoner and the swordsman, but much to his relief, it hadn't. Lloyd had unconsciously responded to Sheena's very subtle and hesitant overtures, there was more than a fraternal love developing between the two teenage warriors. "It's a pity that one young love must be extinguished for the life of another..."

"Yes, it is... However, I believe there's better things for Colette out there." Raine agreed, but somehow a fierce glint of hope lit her cerulean eyes. She glanced out the window of the well-lit library, her lips pursing a little as she continued in a much gentler tone, "I believe she'll find her true soulmate eventually... Someone like Colette just attracts people of all sorts." She laughed shortly and made a vague gesture with her hand, "Our ragtag group for example! Two half-elves, a twin swordsman, a Chosen from the prevailing world, a tiny axeman, the Chief of Mizuho, and a president turned convict. We definitely are a motley crew."

"Yes, we certainly are." Regal chuckled wearily, shaking his head as his eyes lowered almost automatically to his shackles. Shifting weight from his left leg to his right, he continued quietly, "Still... Colette is the type to hide her pain and do it well... I worry about her health..."

"As do I... But something seems to have changed with her and Lloyd, a dynamic shift of sorts, possibly for the better." Raine continued only as she could, taking a few steps back from the situation and regarding it with cool eyes. Idly running her fingers down the spine of her books, she added softly, "Lloyd has only ever seen her with the eyes of a brother, it's been that way since they were children. She may have finally understood that... I feel horrible for being unable to help, but then again, I probably would have just gotten in the way. They need to sort things out on their own, if they have outside help it will only worsen the situation."

"It's interesting that you haven't mentioned the reunification of the world yet." Regal observed with a raised eyebrow, attempting to keep all hints of amusement out of his tone. It was the first and foremost thing that always seemed to be on her mind, yet she hadn't said a word about it. He prompted when she was silent, a ghost of a smile curving her lips, "Are you not worried this may interfere with it...?"

"No, I'm not." Raine replied smoothly, rather enjoying the surprise that flashed across the normally stoic Regal's face. She allowed herself a quiet chuckle before she explained primly, trying to keep her own laughter out of her voice, "Emotions, memories, our attachments to the physical and emotional aspects of our lives... They give us reason to love our lives, to want to fight for our rights to live. As far as I think, this is a very good thing for both of them, it will only further their drive to reunite our worlds..." 'And their happiness would be a very pleasant perk I have to add...'

"Quite right..." Regal agreed with a curt nod, his mind flashing back to the moments in the tower where he had been ready to die for Lloyd's dreams. 'Heh... How much has changed since that moment...? Not a thing. I am attached to my life, even now... My friends have given it meaning, something I did not have after the death of Alicia...' He allowed himself a brief sigh then continued plainly, "I hope that after the reunification is finished, we can all find some sort of happiness with our lives."

Raine nodded knowingly, understanding Regal's hope better than she had expected. Glancing at the ceiling as she absently swung her left leg in the air, she murmured, "Colette, Sheena, Lloyd, Genis, Presea, Zelos, as well as yourself, and even Kratos... You all deserve happiness."

"I couldn't help but notice you didn't add yourself." Regal observed, raising one eyebrow at the comment. Something told him that it wasn't a minor error on her part, she hadn't mentioned anything personal for a reason. Despite the normal reaction to let a woman have her privacy, especially someone like her, he grew concerned and had to ask, "Raine, if you don't mind my asking, do you have beliefs that you should not be allowed happiness?"

Raine found herself smiling wryly, but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't know how to explain the muddle of emotions that choked at her heart, especially considering that the noble was much more intuitive than she had given him credit for. Avoiding the topic entirely, she found herself looking out the window into the gentle blue of the sky, speaking mostly to herself, "The Tethe'allan sky... I've always thought it was clearer than the one in Sylvarant..."

Regal, a little confused by her abrupt change in conversation, found his gaze being drawn by the window. Her expression had changed, there was a nostalgia he had never seen before in her eyes, coupled with a sad warmth. The blue sky beckoned enticingly to him, an odd magnetic surge flowing through his blood at that moment. He let the pull guide his actions, and with a little smile he offered his shackled hands to the quiet half-elf. "I'm sure we can prove that theory if you have the time and the desire to. Do you wish to accompany me? I know of a perfect viewing spot on the northeast balcony, it's not that far."

Raine found herself smiling as she slid gracefully from the table, adjusting her robe again. She felt an odd spark in her blood as she wound ehr arm into his, not really knowing why she was doing it. She felt eased oddly enough speaking with the man, and with a quiet and somewhat resigned sigh, she said gently, "Alright then. Thank you, Regal."

"Don't thank me Raine, you simply looked as though you could use the company and change of atmosphere." Regal replied with a sombre nod, feeling the pressure of her hand against his forearm as she squeezed very lightly. His lips quirked as a warm feeling slowly washed over his chest as her lips curved gently in her pale face. 'That is much better... Someone like her should not be allowed to frown.'

* * *

"I think this place keeps getting bigger every single time we come here." Sheena remarked with a little laugh, glancing around the city in amazement. A lot had changed since their last visit, the entire place had been rebuilt and improved. There were no more dirt roads, it all had been covered with stone and brick, giving the city a very beautiful and wholesome look. "The weapons' shop is way bigger than I remember, and I think the inn's actually gotten a whole new floor."

"I think you're right." Lloyd laughed, glancing up at the inn with a grin. The city was bustling and was simply crackling with energy from the townspeople. Everyone looked so cheerful and busy, the electricity was intensely infectious. Noishe seemed to feel the energy too, his large tail was waving to and fro excitedly as he wandered off on his own to explore. The two warriors let him do as he pleased, knowing that the protozoan would find them when he wanted to be with them again. "They've done so well here..."

"Lloyd, and Sheena too!"

Both warriors turned immediately at the calls of their names, both equally surprised to see who it was. A strong and healthy Pietro was walking towards them with a grin as bright as the sun, flanked by at least a dozen children. The moment the children got a good view of them, they swarmed around the teenagers with happy shouts, laughing and cheering as they left no escape for the two.

"Yay, Miss Sheena's back!"

"Does that mean we get to play tag again?"

"It's Lloyd too, the Hero of Luin!"

"Wow, so cool!"

"Miss Sheena, Miss Sheena!"

The summoner looked down with a mix of amazement and delight as she recognized the tiny voice, and without a thought she knelt down to get to eye level. The little boy grinned cheekily up at her, and he threw himself into her open arms, winding his around her neck with a delighted giggle. Sheena's laughter was girlish as she accepted the embrace, returning it with a warmth Lloyd had never seen before."You little rascal, you made it back here after all!"

Lloyd watched as Sheena stood up, picking the little boy clear off the ground to give him a hug. He recognized the cap of navy hair from his first visit to the city, when he had found her at the fountain that clear day. 'She was playing tag with all the kids... He was the one who was so excited she finally agreed to play...' He noticed with a start that the little boy was wearing red clothes, quite similar to his own, and at a closer examination, the boy even had two short wooden sticks stuffed in his belt in place of swords. 'No way, he's dressed up like....?'

"Now that's a new outfit that I don't remember for you." Sheena scolded the little boy playfully, her topaz eyes twinkling with glee as she realized who he was dressed as. She gave him another small hug before setting him down on the ground, her hand resting affectionately on his messy hair. "Who are you trying to be?"

"Lloyd, the Hero of Luin!" The boy proclaimed proudly, thumping himself hard on the chest. The children flocked around him, all wearing makeshift costumes of their own. Lloyd and Sheena could pick out the gentle hues of orange of Raine's robes, and the lighter blues of Genis', even the white of Colette's own clothes. He took out one of his toy swords and moved in a perfectly executed mimicry of a Demon Fang attack, his bright eyes narrowed in concentration. "We all wanna be like you!"

Sheena glanced over to see how Lloyd was taking it, and to her surprise the poor boy was as red as his jumpsuit. He looked embarrassed yet pleased at the same time, and she watched with affection as he knelt down in front of the ringleader, adjusting his hands on the makeshift swords so he could have an easier time holding them. The others promptly crowded around him, tugging at his sleeves, talking loudly to get his attention, causing the boy to grin much like a child in reply as his awkwardness began to fade. 'He's good with kids, they just love him.'

A little boy popped up at Sheena's elbow, and much to her chagrin she saw he was dressed in a uniform fitting a ninja, mask and all. Glad for a moment that Lloyd was too busy to see her, the summoner turned to the boy and asked with a giggle, "So you wanna be a ninja, huh?"

"I don't wanna be a ninja, nah uh." The little boy replied with a fierce shake of his head, pulling at her sleeve intently, his childish eyes startlingly serious. She could see his lips pursing behind his mask as he lowered his voice, gesturing for her to lean closer so he could whisper his secret in her ear. She obliged with an indulgent smile, cupping a hand around her ear for added effect. He whispered, "I wanna be a summoner, like you! I think that's way better than playing with swords!"

Sheena felt torn between laughing and scooping up the boy in a tight hug for his childish enthusiasm. She had always been drawn towards children of all sorts, their carefree innocence was too magnetic to ignore. This one had just pulled at her heartstrings with incredible strength. "Well," She coughed in an effort to clear her suddenly blocked throat, "that's a very hard job, are you sure you're up to it?"

The little one pulled down his mask, his eyes flaming with the same stubbornness she had seen in Lloyd when she had first met him. His tiny hand curled into a tight fist, he proclaimed fiercely, "I'm gonna be a summoner, just like you Miss Sheena! You're my hero!" His cheeks reddened slightly and he looked at the ground, suddenly bashful, "And you're really pretty. I like you."

Lloyd, having heard the entire exchange despite the children around him, turned his head to see how the summoner would react to the compliment. He had seen how the true innocence of the children brought out the best in her, and he had no doubts that she got along very well with ones of all ages. Much to his surprise, he saw her lean down and gently kiss the boy on the cheek, her own betraying a faint pink hue as she smiled at the surprised boy.

He blushed to the roots of his hair, his hand clapped to the spot where she had kissed him before he turned around and ran smack into the child dressed as Lloyd. Yanking the boy to the side, he whispered loudly about the prize he had just received and then ran off with the rest of the group in tow, now to seek a good playground for fake battles.

Pietro, who had been letting the two have their fun with the children, now walked up to them with a warm smile, his hands open in invitation. "I'm glad to see you both here, the children talk nonstop about all of you and your exploits. Luin will always be in your debt."

"Please Pietro, it was the least we could do." Sheena waved off his thanks with a little smile, though her eyes were dancing with delight, still not over the joy of the kids. "And the kids seemed to have grown a lot since we've last came here."

"They're all strong in spirits and in minds." Pietro chuckled indulgently, tossing a glance over his shoulder to watch the swarm of kids run to the other side of the city across the bridge, laughing and causing a chaotic mess as they went. He turned back to the young teens, adding pleasantly, "But they idolize you, not a day goes by that they aren't staging fake battles in your names. It's a hopeful sight, perhaps someday they will be the next generation of heros."

"I hope we never need them." Lloyd said firmly with a shake of his head, frowning darkly at the idea. The thought of any of those smiling children being forced to go through what he and his friends had wasn't appealing in the least. He felt Sheena's hand on his shoulder in silent comfort and he managed to force out a smile in her direction before he continued wearily, "I would hate to see this world need new heros... And our own quest isn't even finished yet."

"True enough..." Pietro agreed with a little nod, his smile thinning a little. He glanced over at the playing group, adding quietly, "But at the same time, I don't think it'd stop them. They all are brave and have true heros to look up and aspire to. They will no doubtedly grow into strong and brave adults capable of defending their homes from whatever may come, Martel forbid..."

Sensing that this topic would only bring a sour mood down further on them, Sheena gently tugged on Lloyd's arm with a smile, saying kindly to Pietro, "I'm sorry to cut this short, but Lloyd and I have some shopping to do..." Before Lloyd had a chance to ask what she was talking about, she swiftly tapped his shin with her boot, smiling all the while. "We'll come by and visit you though before the night's over."

"That's perfectly fine, don't trouble yourselves. Rest up and enjoy your day."

Lloyd kept his eyes on Sheena as she walked through the streets, watching her smile and look around, taking everything in with the wonder of a child. 'She looks happy... Happier than I think I've ever really seen her... It's like she's letting the disguise drop...' He liked this change in her, it was soemthng unexpected, but he could feel his entire body warming with pleasure. His hand began to itch suddenly, twitching with an odd urge that he didn't quite understand. His eyes locked on Sheena's hand that was a few inches away from his own, and though he didn't really know why, his reached forwards to capture it, twining his fingers through her own.

Sheena jumped at the sudden warmth that enveloped her palm, and she glanced down in alarm before her face began to burn. 'He...' She smiled shyly, looking up to see his completely innocent yet somehow serious expression. Something warmed her blood, and she sidled a little bit closer to him. 'He looks... older, somehow...'

"Sheena, you mind if I ask you something?" Lloyd asked slowly, glancing around the surprisingly familiar landscape. The fountain burbled cheerfully behind them, and for a split second, he was transported back in time. He had been standing at this exact place just a few short months ago, watching with some curiosity as the dark-haired assassin stood in the centre of a group of children. He'd stared in with a mix of astonishment and amusement as she grudgingly, yet with a smile, gave into the demands of the kids and agreed to play.

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"You remember meeting here?" Lloyd's voice was almost nostalgic, and he felt Sheena's fingers gently squeeze around his own, telling him the answer without words. He smiled then, giving partial form to the question that had been buzzing in his mind since he had seen her kiss the little boy. "Remember how I called you cute...?"

Sheena flushed, her body knowing before her mind did where this question was leading. She knew escape was impossible, especially when Lloyd was holding her hand, so she forced her eyes to stare at the ground as her cheeks began to glow. 'Martel, I am begging you, please don't let him say what I think he's going to say... I have no idea what I'll do if he says it!'

Lloyd was unsure of how to phrase the question that had been in his thoughts, worried that she would take offense like she did with any overtures Zelos made. He didn't want to be as blunt as the Chosen was, it felt wrong to approach her that way. 'I can't lose her by saying something so stupid...' His hand gently squeezing hers, he asked slowly, preparing for a slap if it was coming his way, "I was wondering... That little kid called you cute and you gave him a kiss... Why didn't you give me one when I told you that you looked cute?"

Sheena managed an answer that was more squeak than words, and in horror she stared at the ground. Heat continued to build in her face, slowly sinking down her neck to settle into a hard ball of lead in her stomach. Her heart thundered in her ears, and she felt as though Efreet had simply turned all of her blood into magma. Looking up at him through her eyelashes, she asked hoarsely, "Wh-What...?"

"Would you give me a kiss, Sheena?" Lloyd asked quietly, not really understanding why it felt so important to have her say 'yes'. He had always stood by and watched as she thoroughly pummelled Zelos whenever he even dared to ask for a hug let alone a kiss, but something had changed in the past few weeks. He wasn't amused anymore when he watched Sheena nearly beat him to death, he was angry. He didn't want anyone, especially Zelos, getting anywhere near her unless it was him. He may not have understood why, but his emotions were fierce enough to demand obedience.

Sheena swallowed the stone that had lodged in her throat, forcing herself to breathe, not realizing she had stopped when his words left his mouth. His hand felt like live fire around her own, and she was painfully aware of how close they were standing together. Staring up at him, she read the hope in his eyes, coupled with something incredibly intense and warm. His eyes seemed to see inside her very skin, sending a shiver down her spine that curled like a snake in the pit of her stomach. She stood on tiptoe, letting her body work on autopilot, and her lips tentively brushed against his cheek before she drew back quickly before she could let herself drown in the swirling mass of emotion.

She jerked away much too fast for Lloyd's taste, but the demon he had been living with for the past few months positively screamed in delight. His free hand flew to his cheek where she had kissed him, feeling the electricity surging through his skin to bring a smile to his face. He knew he probably looked idiotic, but his smile spread over his entire face and his body felt as light as air. When he looked at Sheena, he was delighted to see that she was smiling too, albeit quite more shyly than he was.

'I... I did it...' Sheena bit her lower lip as she smiled, trying to control her glee. His goofy smile sent a warm wave of happiness through her entire body, she felt immensely proud to have put something so delirious on the boy's face. His hand was still curled protectively around her own, but it didn't feel nearly as hot anymore. She moved so their arms brushed, and with a soft sigh, she leaned her head on his shoulder, smiling to herself. 'This is... great...'

Lloyd smiled too, enjoying her look of complete contentment. He rested his cheek against her hair, breathing in her scent with a sigh of his own. He had never really seen her completely at ease, something was always on her mind, though he didn't blame her. None of them had any time to relax and be free, and this moment was the closest thing to heaven he had ever felt. 'This... is amazing.'

**AN**

**Heheh... Don't ask. Please. XD So, little sneak peek for next chapter, listen up! The mystery of Sheena's companion is going to be solved next chapter, lol. Apparently I'm annoying some people, so lmao, just be patient for a little bit longer, okay? :3 **

**PS: Once again, updated at school XD I shouldn't be doing this, lol... I'm so bad... **

**Sky**


	5. Secrets

Sheena was silent as she slid from her bed, fully clothed, her bare feet making a noise softer than a whisper as she made for the door. She paused halfway there however, turning her head to look at the bed on the opposite end of the room. With a weak smile, she turned around and tiptoed to the bed, kneeling down beside it.

He was fast asleep, his foot dangling off the edge of the bed, his body tangled in the sheets from his constant wriggling around. Sheena smiled to herself, crossing her arms and resting her chin on them, content to examine the sleeping swordsman before she left. He muttered something incoherent in his sleep, turning in his sleep to face her, his face oddly boyish. His white shirt that he wore to bed was rumpled all over the place, causing her to smile. He seemed so much younger than he really was when he was sleeping.

The ninja reached out to gently brush his hair back from his face, enjoying the way his nose wrinkled then settled back into place. His lips quirked in his sleep, and she found herself resisting the urge to brush her fingers across them. 'He looks so much more peaceful when he's sleeping... He's been so stressed out lately, he needs all the rest he can get...' He muttered something again, turning a little towards her, his hand closing on the sheets as though he was trying to grab something in his dream.

"Sleep well Lloyd..." She murmured inaudibly, letting her hand gently linger of his cheek before she got up to leave. She froze however when the bed creaked too loudly in the silent night, and holding her breath, she waited for the barrage of questions that would come with his awakening.

"Sheena..."

Sheena's heart caught in her throat, and she looked over her shoulder in complete surprise. His eyes were still closed and his chest moved with the same even rhythm that it had been before, he was definitely still asleep. She looked around nervously, as though worried someone invisible in the room would see her. Turning around, she let her eyes linger over his sleeping form before she leaned over him, letting her lips brush across his cheek for the second time that day. "Sweet dreams..."

Embarrassment fuelling her on, Sheena raced to the door and out as silently as she could, jumping the inn's stairs and bolting out the open window into the dark night. 'Jeez that was too close... What if he woke up!?' Luin was silent at this hour, the only sound that could be heard was the soft trickling of water from the fountain. It gave her an oddly calm feeling, and she felt her heart slowing in her chest as the redness began to fade from her face. The full moon overheard cast a silvery glow on the rebuilt city, giving it an ethereal kind of look. 'It's so beautiful... The people did so well rebuilding the city...'

A happy bark interrupted her tranquil thoughts, and as she turned she was knocked to the ground by the excited protozoan she had snuck out to see. He nuzzled happily against her stomach as she wound her arms around his thick neck, a happy rumbling echoing in his chest. When he finished with his greeting, Noishe promptly stuck his cold nose against her cheek, causing the ninja to laugh and playfully push him away. "Hey, hey, I'm here okay, stop it, that's ticklish!"

Noishe barked happily again, the rumbling increasing in volume as he flopped down beside her, resting his head in her lap. His tail was thumping hard against the ground as he expressed his happiness and he wiggled his head under her hand, encouraging her to pet him.

Sheena obliged with a soft giggle, ruffling his stiff fur affectionately, hugging Noishe again. She sat there mostly in silence, listening to the heavy breathing of the large creature with a smile. It had become nearly a ritual to sneak out of wherever she was staying in the city to visit the protozoan, she had seen how lonely he had gotten by himself outside of the cities. Gently scratching behind his large ear, she added to herself, "Besides... Being close to him makes me feel closer to Lloyd... and to Corrine..."

Noishe, as though sensing her thoughts, gently seized her hand in his mouth, his dark eyes boring holes into hers. She smiled wearily and he released her hand, whimpering softly as he rested his head on her knee. He sighed loudly, and her hand once again continued to scratch behind his ear.

"Okay, okay, no sad thoughts tonight, I'll be on my best behaviour." Sheena laughed at his glum expression, leaning down to kiss the protozoan's forehead. He made a muffled barking noise in assent, then he rolled over onto his back, giving her a clear view of his stomach. With a grin, Sheena reached over to ruffle the shorter fur on his belly, listening to the happy rumbling noise he made when she did. 'He's so much smarter than I thought at first... Some dog he turned out to be...'

"_Good one Noishe!" Corrine laughed, his entire body quivering with amusement as he pat the ground in a very human gesture of amusement. The large protozoan gave a bark of laughter too, shaking his head as Corrine scampered around him. _

_Sheena, having been on night watch, turned to them in confusion. Noishe rolled over, playfully trying to place a paw over the tiny Summon Spirit. Corrine was too quick, dodging out from under him, the little bell he wore jingling merrily in the otherwise silent night. As confused as she was, she could see that Corrine was clearly enjoying himself, and with a smile, she settled back into her seat, staring into the embers of the fire._

_Corrine, having seen her glancing towards them, pounced out of Noishe's reach and into the ninja's lap, grinning when she glanced at him curiously. He shook his head once, then announced cheerfully, "I have a new friend!"_

"_You mean Noishe?" Sheena asked with a tiny smile of her own, noticing the way the giant creature was staring longingly after Corrine. Her smile grew wider as she gently eased the Summon Spirit out of her lap and towards him instead. "He looks lonely without you playing with him."_

"_He is lonely, he hasn't had many friends besides Lloyd and the others." Corrine replied in such a serious tone that for a second, Sheena was taken aback. Corrine glanced meaningfully back at his new friend, continuing placidly, "Noishe is a lot smarter than the others think he is... He's ancient too, four thousand years old. He's Lloyd's keeper, not just his dog. You'd be surprised at how much he's told me, seeing as I can understand him unlike you guys. It's really interesting all the stories he's told me."_

"_Wow... I never would've guessed..." Sheena spoke mostly to herself, looking at the creature with new eyes. He seemed to be grinning at her, and she watched as his tail stood tall and proud, waving to and fro ecstatically. Looking into his eyes now, she could see the glimmer of intelligence she had never seen before. She spoke to him hesitantly for the first time, feeling odd,"So you... You can understand me?"_

"_Yeah, he can understand you. He knows exactly what we're doing and exactly who we are. He knows things I didn't know for crying out loud." Corrine remarked quite proudly, scampering from Sheena's lap and over to Noishe, laughing as Noishe's paw came down on top of him and pinned him to the ground. "He wants to be my friend."_

'You gave Corrine what I couldn't... Another chance to be happy.' Sheena thought with a small smile, watching as Noishe rolled over on the stone before he got to his feet, tail wagging so hard his entire backside was jiggling with the motion. She got to her feet too, but Noishe took off down the street before she had a chance to understand what he was doing. Laughing at this, Sheena quickly proceeded to chase him. "Oi! That's no fair, you cheater!"

Noishe just barked over his shoulder, racing at a mild speed away from her. She caught up with him quickly, and he dodged out of her grasp, his chest rumbling in unmistakable laughter. They reached the other side of Luin before the chase ended, both companions flopping down into the grass beside the water, laughing together.

"Tag." Sheena giggled, reaching forward to gently poke Noishe in the nose. He whined a bit, but his tongue rolled out and he promptly kissed her cheek. Snorting with mirth, Sheena backed away as he advanced on her, trying her best to look serious. "Oh no, don't you dare come any closer!"

Noishe bared his teeth playfully, pretending to growl as he took a threatening step closer. She backed away more, her entire body shaking with laughter as she raised both her hands in self-defence. Ignoring that, Noishe continued his advance, still mock-growling at her, his tail upright and waving ecstatically at the play.

"I'm warning you, stay away from me!" Sheena commanded, trying her best to keep her voice serious but she broke at the end, dissolving into a silent fit of laughter. She couldn't keep a straight face expression in the face of Noishe's happiness. She kept backing away, but even her legs seemed to fail her, shivering as she giggled to herself.

Sensing victory, Noishe yipped cheerfully as he pounced on top of the summoner, knocking her clear onto the grass. She squealed in alarm and laughter, and he nuzzled against any place he could reach, earning more delighted peals of laughter that only made his tail wag harder.

A rustling in the bushes distracted the protozoan for one second, and he took in a deep breath to catch the scent of the intruder. If Noishe could have laughed out loud, he would've, but instead he merely ducked his head to continue to tickle his newfound ward. He knew that nothing was going to disturb this night, not even the suspicious boy hiding in the bushes.

* * *

Lloyd wasn't entirely sure what had woken him, it could have been the door closing, or it could have been the feather light touch on his cheek before the door sighed shut. Regardless of what it had been, he was awake and alert before his feet even had a chance to hit the floor. His eyes automatically went to the small bed at the far corner of the room, where Sheena's sleeping form should have been. The bed was glaringly empty, and his heart leapt into his throat.

'Again! She's gone again!' Lloyd bolted from the bed, his hands already grabbing his blades and tying them around his waist, shrugging into his jacket as he ran to the door. He didn't even know where he was running to as he dashed down the stairs and out into the cool night, but his feet were moving on their own accord and he wasn't about to stop them. He felt it again, though this time with much more force, that same surge of dark fury that choked at his rationality. Then there was worry, a true concern that made his blood freeze in dread.

The emotions seemed as different as night and day to him, but they blended remarkably well together as he raced down the dark streets of Luin, his heart pounding angrily in his ears. His mind was a dizzy swirling mess of emotion and half put together thoughts, he didn't really know where he was going but he still hoped to get there fast. 'Where could she have gone now? She... She wanted to come to Luin so we could spend time together, didn't she...?'

It was like something hit him in the stomach then, knocking the breath out of him, leaving him stunned. He stood still in the silent night, breathing hard, slowly and fiercely going over his thoughts.

'She did it in Meltokio, and now she's doing it here...? Why? She wanted to be with _me_, didn't she...?' The anger was back as quickly as it had vanished, choking his heart and making it difficult to breathe and think coherently. 'Was she using me to go here to meet up with _him_...? What's going on here?! She wanted to be with me, that's why I came here with her! To make her happy! What the hell is going on!? Am I not good enough to spend the night with or something?! If she wanted to spend time with that stupid person, she could've done it without asking me to get involved too! Did she ever think maybe I wanted to spend time with _her_ too?!'

The anger slowly began to fade, leaving him hallow and drained. He rubbed at his arms, an incredible wave of guilt and disgust washing over him. He grit his teeth, angrily yelling inside his own head at his stupidity. 'What the hell is wrong with me, Sheena isn't that kind of person. She'd never use anyone to reach her own goals. She's not selfish.' He was reminded of her gentle smile, of the kind words she was always ready to offer him when he needed it, and his self-loathing increased tenfold. 'It's impossible for someone like Sheena to be like that... B-But... Who...?'

Then he really felt it, the core of all the mess of emotions that had been demonizing him since her first departure in Meltokio. Despair. The agony seemed to rip him at his seams, and he realized with a jolt a loss he hadn't felt since he had been banished from his village. 'Why... Why does it feel like I've just lost a part of myself...? She's... She's not really gone, is she...?' An emptiness filled his entire body, freezing his blood and skin until he felt like he was made of ice. His hand absently touched his cheek, where she had kissed him only a few hours ago. His pulse quickened in his chest at the thought, sending some warmth to his fingers. He whispered aloud, willing someone, _anyone_, to give him an answer, "She... She wouldn't kiss me if she... If she didn't like me... Would she?"

"Oh no, don't you dare come any closer!"

He froze for almost half a second at the sound of her voice, and then his instincts kicked in. He ruthlessly shoved aside all of his emotion, his hands on his blades as he raced as fast as his legs would carry him towards where he'd heard her voice. Adrenalin pounded angrily in his veins, and he was absently aware of unsheathing his blades as a cold anger settled over him. He hissed to himself quietly, his hands tightening with every step he took, "Martel have mercy on whoever the hell is trying to hurt Sheena... I'll tear him to pieces!"

"I'm warning you, stay away from me!"

He never remembered ever moving that fast in his entire life, his feet barely made a sound as they raced across the stone. He heard a low growling, and somewhere in his fevered mind he recognized the sound. He made it to the edge of the town when he saw her, she stood with her back to him, facing off with Noishe, and her shoulders were quivering but not with fear, with amusement. His stomach dropped out of his body, and he watched in shock as the protozoan pounced on her, sending her to the ground in a fit of laughter.

'Sh-Sheena...?'

"That tickles, stop!" Sheena gasped, wriggling around underneath the happy protozoan, trying her best to get him off of her but he was content to stick his cold nose against her neck anyway. "C'mon, quit it!"

'She's... She's been leaving to see Noishe...?' Lloyd asked himself silently, glad suddenly for the fountain and the gaudy statue on top of it to hide him. He watched in shock as Noishe clambered off of her, sitting up and howling shortly to express his triumph. Sheena sat up too, wrapping her arms around the creature, nuzzling against his rough fur with a soft laugh that rung in the swordsman's ears. 'She's... She's happy...'

He saw Noishe looking over Sheena's shoulder, his eyes locked on Lloyd's hiding place. The swordsman froze, unsure of whether or not to bolt. 'Will he follow me? That'd give it away that I followed her out!' He was slightly amazed how everything seemed to slip away from him like a snake shedding its skin, the anger and despair fell away like they had never existed in his heart at all. He felt calm, whole, again. His confusion settled too, everything seemed to make sense again. 'Noishe got more protective of her because she's been spending time with him at night... I'm... I'm so stupid...'

"Noishe?" Sheena asked worriedly, noticing the creature's preoccupation with the fountain. She slowly got to her feet, glancing around the silent area in suspicion. He wasn't growling or backing away, letting the ninja know that whatever their visitor was, it wasn't a monster or anything dangerous. 'One of the townspeople maybe?' She gently ruffled Noishe's thick fur, asking gently, "What is it boy? Who's here?"

Noishe seemed to chuckle, getting to his feet and rubbing his face against her side. With a bark, he raised one paw and pointed towards the fountain, hearing the soft curse that was too quiet for Sheena's human ears. He nudged the ninja forward, his entire body rumbling with amusement as she glanced from him to the fountain, confused. He nudged her once more, whining cheerfully as she took a hesitant step towards the hidden boy.

"Alright, alright, I'll go look, scaredy-cat." Sheena sighed, grudgingly petting Noishe between the ears before she slowly approached the fountain. Glancing at it closely, she noticed the shadow from the streetlight was longer than normal, and thicker as well. Someone was definitely hiding behind it. With a frown, she craned her neck in an attempt to see the person, but she had no luck. With a sigh, she held out her hands and called in what she hoped was a pleasant voice, "Come out, we're not going to hurt you or anything."

"I know that."

Sheena froze in alarm, and she heard Noishe bark loudly behind her, as if he was laughing. She watched with a numbness as Lloyd stepped out from behind the fountain, wearing a tiny smile in his otherwise tight face. She swallowed noisily, feeling a rush of fear through her body. 'He must have... When I left... Damn! Th-This isn't good...'

"So this is where you've been sneaking off to..." Lloyd said quietly, gesturing at Noishe with a small smile. The protozoan yipped cheerfully, throwing himself onto the ground with a triumphant huff, his tail wagging so hard it formed a small cloud of dust. Lloyd's eyes were focussed on Sheena's shocked expression, and he explained quietly, "I realized you were going off somewhere in Meltokio... I got a little worried when you left here too... I didn't realize you were going off to see Noishe."

Sheena blinked, hearing an undercurrent in his tone, an emotion she couldn't name. There was a quiet bitterness in his voice, and a pain in his eyes that she didn't like to see. She took a step forward instinctively, not really knowing what to do with her hands but they reached out to take one of his on their own. She murmured softly, wanting to do whatever she could to ease his anxiety, "I'm sorry... I didn't know that I was worrying you. I would've told you if I'd known... Noishe was just so lonely, and... I could relate to that, y'know?"

"You don't still feel lonely, do you?" Lloyd asked worriedly, closing his hands around hers, momentarily distracted by the soft pain lingering in her words. Though she had never explicitly said so, he knew she had become terribly lonely after the death of Corrine and he had always tried to make her feel differently. The idea that all of his work was in vain was startling.

"N-No, I don't feel lonely anymore, that's not what I meant!" Sheena stammered, feeling the already familiar rush of heat to her face. She glanced at the ground, trying her best to calm her erratically beating heart and hide her blush, hating that he was able to invoke such passionate reactions in her body. 'I can't be anything with him around!' "I... I like being with you, and the others, I finally have friends. I'm not lonely anymore... But I understood how Noishe felt, so I wanted to keep him company, like you guys did for me..."

Lloyd tugged her close, winding his arms tightly around her. She managed a muffled squeak of surprise before that melted into a sigh, and her arms looped loosely around his waist as she pressed her face into his shoulder. Nuzzling tenderly into her neck, Lloyd tried to sort through his buzzing mind, momentarily overwhelmed with emotion. "I never want you to feel alone ever again. No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you. Always."

Sheena let herself sigh, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his strong arms looped tightly around her body. She couldn't detect any hint of a lie in his words, of course there never would be, but she couldn't stop the unease that had been building in her stomach for the past few months. She never could doubt him or his integrity, he was simply too pure for that, but her feelings, the ones that had begun to twist her mind as well as her body, were growing paranoid. 'Lloyd... I want to believe you... I do... But... Why do I get so scared...?' She sighed again, and for a moment she shoved away her insecurities, listening intently to Lloyd's quiet breathing and the feel of his heartbeat against her cheek. 'Is this what happens when you love someone? All of your doubts are amplified? Dammit... Why was it you, Lloyd...? Why was it you?'

* * *

**Meltokio**

Presea watched silently as Genis got up from Colette's bedside, his hand gently lingering on the blond's before he pulled that away too, walking out of the room with a saddened expression. The moment Genis vacated his seat, Zelos promptly retrieved it, something that mildly surprised the tiny axeman. He had been by her side since he'd raced into the house, carrying a feverish and coughing Colette in his arms. 'I do not think I have ever seen him look so... frightened...'

"Leave it to Colette to get sick when we're supposed to be on vacation..." Genis sighed quietly as he got to her side, running his hand over his face. He spared a glance over his shoulder at Zelos, watching the red-haired Chosen lean over the sleeping Colette, whispering something too soft for him to hear. He spoke mostly to himself, "I gotta admit, I'm surprised at how Zelos is acting, I don't think I've ever seen him like this."

"Myself as well... He may be feeling guilty." Presea suggested with a half-hearted shrug of her shoulders, though her lips pulled downwards into a frown. She knew all too well the choking vice of guilt, and her eyes scanned the floor beneath her feet as they walked down the stairs. "After all... They were walking together when Colette simply fainted."

"She was sick before that, she just refused to tell anybody." Genis grunted under his breath, mildly annoyed with his friend's behaviour. He knew better than to expect anything else but her selfless actions, but he still didn't like it. He looked over at Presea, frowning at the sight of her obvious displeasure. Embarrassed at his worry, he asked quietly, unable to stop himself from stammering, "P-Presea...? W-W-What's w-wrong...?"

Presea's frown deepened, and she glanced down at the floor once more before she allowed herself to fully look up at the young warlock. The poor half-elf turned a brilliant shade of crimson and nearly lost his footing on the stairs, saved only by her reaching out to grab his hand and pull him straight. He seemed as shocked as she did by her knee-jerk reaction to steady him, but she quickly released his hand, ignoring the searing heat in her palm from where she had touched him. Shaking off the strange pain, she asked him flatly, "May I ask you a question?"

"Y-Y-Yeah, you can ask me anything you w-want, Presea." Genis stammered, fumbling with his hands as the warmth spread up his arms and into his heart. His stomach knotted unhappily, but the young half-elf managed to somehow keep his footing until they were off the stairs and in the living room.

She waited until he was seated, mildly concerned that he would have another accident if she spoke to him. She spoke up quietly, not wanting her voice to carry to far up the stairs, "I am curious, Genis... You spent nearly a full ten minutes by Colette's side, yet you did not speak. I understand that speaking to the sleeping is not efficient. However, it is a calming reflex. Yet you did not indulge in that. Why?"

Genis smiled genuinely at her curious tone, forcing himself to not laugh outright at her confusion. He looked up at the ceiling, hoping to find words there that would help with the explanation he planned to give to her. He spoke slowly, attempting to make sure he got each and every word right, "W-Well... S-Sometimes... Sometimes words aren't needed when you're with a person. You can have a conversation without speech, you can imply your feelings and thoughts through gestures..." He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, unable to find his words to express what he wanted to say. He grinned suddenly, inspiration coming to him in a flash, and he merely continued to rub the back of his neck and appear embarrassed, hoping desperately that Presea would get his hint.

Presea stared at him in confusion, completely bemused by his abrupt change of behaviour. Speech was always a barrier between them, he had trouble forming coherent words whenever they conversed, but she enjoyed their time together regardless. As she had one told him, and still believed, 'He's small... but wise. Is this perhaps... a lesson? Is he... trying to teach me something?' She watched him closely, pursing her lips in concentration as she tried to pick out the subtle hints he was projecting. 'Nothing...' She sighed in regret, murmuring softly, "I... I apologize Genis... I'm afraid I am not good at this."

"Y-You'll get better eventually Presea. It takes some time to learn how to pick up on cues." Genis told her gently, his face warming as he injected the kindness into his voice in an attempt to make her smile. She didn't react, and he continued weakly, "Lloyd still can't do it."

That seemed to do it, her lips twitched and soon a hesitant but a true smile stretched her pale lips. Shaking her head a little, the axeman commented softly, "That may very well be true... Though I will not lie, I have hope that perhaps he can pick up some of Sheena's subtle cues on their outing to Luin."

"Yeah, m-me too. Sheena really is head over heels for him, the idiot..." Genis shook his head with an indulgent smile, thinking affectionately of his best friend. Despite their many differences, he had never gotten along with anyone so well before. 'And he deserves all the happiness in the world... And I'm sure that she can give it to him if only he wasn't such an idiot...' He frowned though, directing his gaze to the ceiling and up to the corner, where he knew Colette was sleeping fitfully. 'But...' "I think someone should go to Luin and tell them that Colette's gotten sick... They'd feel really bad if they came back and found out, Lloyd would be impossible to deal with if he found out we hid it from him after everything that's happened."

"I agree, though I wish that we had another choice." Presea sighed, feeling sympathy. That was an emotion she had come to know very well since she had retained her heart, and it felt strangely warm to think sadly for her friends. She realized already that she valued their lives, they were all comrades, but beyond that, she cared for their emotions. "They barely had much time to spend together... They only left yesterday morning."

"Yeah, that's true..." Genis agreed with a sigh, though his thoughts were interrupted when he watched his sister climb down the stairs with a weary expression. He instantly was suspicious as he watched her run a hand through her hair, biting her lower lip as she glanced at the front door. He spoke up quickly, not liking where she may have been going, "Raine? What's up?"

"I think I am going to go to Luin to fetch Sheena and Lloyd... Someone has to do it, it may as well be me." Raine explained wearily, her entire body seemed to sag as she spoke the words. Shaking her head a little, the professor continued tiredly, "I hate to do it, but..." She sighed. "I'll be back within a few hours, don't leave the mansion without speaking with Regal. He'll be in charge while I'm gone."

"Yes sis." Genis agreed quickly, knowing that every moment he stalled her was another moment for her to feel worse about what she was doing. She vanished out the door with a barely hidden curse, and he turned to Presea with a little frown. "I guess this means our vacation is going down the tubes..."

"Such a pity." Presea murmured, keeping her eyes focussed on the door for a long moment. She had seen Raine's true disappointment, and she felt saddened as well. 'It seems nothing can go right...' Slowly getting to her feet, the axeman smoothed out a crease in her skirt before saying calmly, "I... I will go to check in on Colette, I am worried about her health."

Genis nodded once, watching her nearly fly up the stairs in her haste to see the Chosen. He smiled slightly to himself, he had seen the flash of worry in her eyes when Zelos carried Colette into the mansion. 'She probably won't admit it, but she's really getting back in touch with her heart... I'm glad. No one should be without emotion...'

A few minutes later, Zelos came trudging down the stairs, his face a mask of anxiety. He flopped down on the couch opposite of Genis, chewing his lower lip in a very out of character sign of worry. Genis fought with himself to taunt the Chosen, but when he saw the true concern in the young man's blue eyes, he couldn't bring himself to worsen his anxiety. He finally spoke up, his voice was quiet as he could make it, "It's not your fault, y'know... Colette must have gotten the bug somewhere back around the Fooji mountains and just never said anything about it. It's how she is, you know that."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, brat, you're not doing a good job." Zelos retorted icily, putting more venom then he thought possible into his words. Genis drew away in surprise, and the redhead grit his teeth angrily. He didn't understand the wild emotions that made it hard to think coherently, and it only made him annoyed. 'We were just out for a walk...' He flinched as his mind raced back to the moment she collapsed, feeling the fear as though he was reliving it.

"_You don't look good my tiny angel, maybe we should head back to the mansion." Zelos suggested with a hint of true concern in his voice, leaning over his blond companion, studying her face closely. Her cheeks were a bright pink, and her eyes seemed oddly out of focus as she walked nearly robotically as his side. _

"_N-No, I'm okay Zelos, really." Colette stammered through a cough, shaking her head as she felt the heat spreading from her face to her chest. It was a struggle to take a deep breath, but she ignored it and tried to keep walking even as her vision blurred a little at the corners of her eyes. "I'm fine."_

"_No, you're not. Colette you look like you're about to pass out, let's head home and get you into a bed." Zelos instructed calmly, gently placing his hand on her arm. He was stunned to feel her body shivering like a leaf under his touch, and he stared in complete shock as she bowed her head, her tiny body overwhelmed by a fit of violent coughing. "Whoa! Colette–!"_

"_D-Don't worry... I-It'll pass..." Colette tried to soothe his worry, but her voice was incredibly raspy. Her chest hurt and she was absently aware of a slight ringing in her head, blocking out the mundane sounds her acute ears could always pick out. Her legs quivered and she felt herself leaning too far to the right, brushing against Zelos' outstretched hand. She tried again to calm him, sensing his mounting concern in his wide eyes, "I'm... fine..."_

"_Colette!" Zelos exclaimed in alarm as her eyes closed and she went limp. He fell to his knees, catching her swiftly before she had a chance to touch the ground. Scooping her up into his arms, he redoubled his grip as she began to twitch, coughing violently. For a moment, he just stood there, shocked into a frozen state. His heart was hammering in his ears, and his mind was blissfully blank. Everything seemed to sink into the background as his feet turned him around back towards the mansion, towards the others. "Colette!"_

'All I wanted was for her to be okay... It was the most hostile thing I've ever felt in my entire life at that moment.' Zelos sighed to himself, burying his face in his hands as he tried to catch his breath. He was unable to summon his mask of cool indifference, too overwhelmed by his worry. She had only woken up once since he'd brought her back hours ago, and his heart physically ached as he remembered her gentle eyes focussing on his.

"_I'm sorry for ruining your day Zelos..."_

'She was serious, so fricken serious and honest, I wanted to...' Zelos hissed under his breath as the corners of his eyes began to sting, his heart moaning inside his chest in response to his emotion. He had his reasons to keeping it so securely under wraps, there was no point to let anyone see what he truly felt or thought. It was so easier to cover everything up with a laugh and witty remark.

But she saw straight through him. She'd smiled at him as she lay in the bed, her face flushed with fever and her voice incredibly weak and husky from her coughing. She'd touched his hand, and whispered an apology that made his entire body ache in guilt and anger.

'Why is it _you_ that can see right through me?'

Genis grinned to himself as he saw the redheaded Chosen's internal struggle, he couldn't stop himself from feeling amused. As shocked as he was to see the obvious concern, he found himself oddly pleased. 'Colette won't be alone anymore... It's good... Though, Zelos... Who'd have ever thought it?' Getting to his feet, he decided to leave the redhead alone with his thoughts, knowing the poor man probably needed time to sort out his strange new feelings. 'I wonder if it's Meltokio doing this to us... Everybody wants to spend time with a certain someone suddenly... not that I'm complaining... It's good for all of us... Now let's go check in on Presea.'

**AN**

**A messy chapter is messy, lol. It seemed all over the place. Blah. That's what I get for taking my day off and spending it all at the computer desk trying to finish my halfway point XD (I kid, there's so much more I wanna do with this before I finish it XD). It was really hard to capture Zelos, he's a pain in the ass to write when he's being serious. It's hard to see what's going on under that cool mask, I really commend anybody who can manage to get him properly, I can't do it at all, lmao.**

**Question, who thought it was Noishe? XD Was it surprising? :3**

**Oh, and reply to Brave Soul, (heehee). I meant I was bad for updating at school XD I didn't mean to worry/upset you if I did, lol. Gomen mon ami! (two languages, one apology, lol)**

**Sky**


	6. Puzzles

**Luin**

Sheena muffled a laugh at Lloyd's joke, casting her embarrassed gaze away from him to glance at the river that wound its way through the city of water. They had spent most of the morning exploring the rebuilt city, enjoying their time together and peppering the covnersation with inside jokes. The ninja paused in surprise as she recognized a lone figure sitting on the end of a dock, and gently elbowed her companion to draw his attention. "Hey Lloyd, is that Raine over there?"

Lloyd blinked in surprise, holding a hand to shade his eyes so he could better catch a glimpse of the woman. The orange robe she always wore almost immediately gave her away, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It is her. What's she doing here?" Noishe, who had been dutifully following them since last night, barked happily and ran from their sides towards the professor, confirming their suspicions.

Raine laughed at the familair barking of the protozoan, turning to see the two warriors heading towards her slowly, wearing mirroring expressions of hesitancy and curiosity. Gently petting the coarse fur on the top of Noishe's head, she nodded in greeting and waved her free hand. Directing her voice t Noishe, she asked him pleasantly, "Have you been taking care of them for me, Noishe?" The protozoan yipped once, shaking his large ears in answer. The two were within earshot now, and Raine smiled to soothe their worry. "Hello you two, I trust you've been enjoying yourselves."

Sheena just managed a nod, feeling her stomach twisting into a pit of unease. 'We still have till tonight to get back to Meltokio... What is she doing here?' Lloyd, as sensing her train of thought, immediately cut to the chase. "What are you doing here, Professor?" He asked, glancing curiously at the half-elven woman. Her expression was tired and he immediately felt a prickle of worry at the back of his neck and he glanced sidelong at Sheena. The ninja seemed to be feeling the exact same thing as him, her eyes were narrowed slightly and her body was tense. "What's wrong?"

"Colette has fallen ill... It's not life-threatening, but she's been down with a fever since this morning..." Raine explained tiredly, watching the worry flash in both of the warriors' eyes. She noticed Sheena tense ever further, biting her lower lip as her gaze fell to the ground, disappointment weighing heavily on her shoulders. 'She knows already, doesn't she...?'

Lloyd, not noticing this, asked hastily, "Is she okay though?" When Raine nodded but still looked exhausted, he grit his teeth in annoyance. 'She's probably been sick for days... The idiot...' He turned to Sheena, and was startled to see that she wasn't meeting anybody's gaze, her hands curled tightly at her sides. Not knowing what had brought this sudden change of mood on, he stared at her for a long moment. She looked as though she was in pain, but her hair covered her eyes, giving him no chance to read her expressive face. Bewildered, he asked worriedly, "Are you okay...?"

Sheena flinched, as though his words struck her. She felt the familiar sting of tears beginning in her eyes, but she ignored those, trying to find her words. 'He's worried about her... Of course... I'm such an idiot... to think he ever... cared about me.' She couldn't find the strength to look up at him, and she whispered hoarsely, "Go to Meltokio, Lloyd. Go see her, I'm sure she wants you there with her."

Raine sighed softly, her body aching in response to the young girl's pain. 'Dammit. This isn't right.' The professor didn't speak though, remembering her conversation with Regal just two days ago. 'They have to sort it out on their own, if we help it'd be like pushing them together. That's not how it should be solved...' One hand curled tightly around her staff while her other balled into a fist, and she rooted her feet to the ground.

"Sh-Sheena...?" Lloyd began hesitantly, completely baffled by the anguish he heard in the ninja's normally warm voice. She sounded husky, as though she was trying to hold back tears and that only worsened his concern. He reached out to touch her shoulder, and was shocked when she flinched away from his touch. "Sheena, what...?"

"Go to Meltokio. Go to her." Sheena repeated fiercely, gritting her teeth as the pain grew spectactularly intense. There was anger, guilt, and a wrenching sadness that she had never known before. 'I feel like he's... like he's dead. I can't... touch him anymore...' She couldn't look up to see his eyes, to see the worry and love she knew that would be there, for the blond Chosen. 'Not for me... Never for me.' She couldn't banish the flame she had held for him for far longer than she ever would have admitted aloud, but she tried her best to ignore the anguish that the fire now caused for her. "She needs you."

"But what about you?" Lloyd asked slowly, still confused by the change. He had never seen her like this before, and it took everything he had to not reach out and try to touch her. He had no doubts that she'd only flinch away from him, and he couldn't cause her pain even if he wanted to. 'She looks like she's about to cry... Why? Why is she acting like this?'

"I'm going to stay here." Sheena answered him robotically, not even glancing at Raine to confirm her words. 'I can't go back to Meltokio right now. I can't face Zelos looking like this, the idiot wouldn't give me a moment's peace. And _them_... I can't see them. It'd... It'd kill me.' She felt a single tear break free of her carefully constructed dam, and it slowly made its way down her cheek to splatter soundlessly to the ground. 'Shit!' Forcing herself to find some excuse, all she could manage was, "I need some time."

"Sheena..." Lloyd began again, trying to sort out his confusion with no luck. The want to touch her was nearly uncontrollable, his hands were quivering with the effort he used to keep them at his side. He had seen the tear fall from her face, and he felt a strong tidal wave of concern nearly knock his common sense away from him. 'She's crying?! What the hell?'

"For Martel's sake Lloyd, go and see her! I know you want to, stop wasting time here! Just go!" Sheena exploded, unable to keep the lid clamped down tightly any longer. Her tears flowed freely, and she was desperate to feel an anger towards the swordsman, a hatred, but she felt nothing but agony. 'I can't...' I just can't bring myself to hate him.' He reached for her again, but she yanked away from his open hand even though her body yearned for his touch. She snapped at him again, forcing as much venom into her tone as possible to make sure he wouldn't follow when she fled, "I don't need a guardian! Just go and leave me alone!"

Lloyd watched in astonishment as she turned tail and ran off, disappearing quickly into the crowd of people. Shocked, it took him a moment before he had control of his body again, and he stepped forwards instinctively to give chase to her. He had only made it half a step before he felt Raine's staff pressed against his chest, holding him back. "What the–" He turned his head, unable to move because she had securely pinned him between Hanuman's Staff and her body, "Professor Sage! What're you doing?! I need to–"

"You need to do exactly as she said and leave her alone." Raine was completely blown away by how difficult it was to speak the words, but she didn't allow the surprise to reach her face. She kept her expression indifferent and her voice cool as she tugged Lloyd back away from the crowd that Sheena had disappeared into. "She needs time to sort herself out, she's in an unbelievable amount of pain right now and if you go to her, it will only make her feel worse."

"How will leaving her alone make her feel any _better_?" Lloyd demanded as she released him, rounding on his professor with annoyance. His emotions were begging to let loose, and the half elf's words seemed to unlock part of them and he grit his teeth in fury. He knew without knowing that he was the cause of her pain, and that only furthered his fury. 'I swore never to hurt her and look what I did! Damn!' "She's crying because of me right now, I can't just leave her alone! That's as good as abandoning her!"

"No, it's not. Sheena needs time, just as she said, and I'm afraid I can't let you follow her." Raine told him firmly, though she truly did want to let him race after the ninja. 'Dammit...' She softened her voice a little when she spoke next, hating to hurt her student, "Come on Lloyd, let's go back to Meltokio."

Lloyd didn't move at her gentle request, his eyes focussed on the crowd. After a long moment, he knelt beside Noishe, who had watched the entire exchange with confusion. He put his hands gently on the protozoan's head and spoke quietly to him, locking eyes with him as he did so, "Find her for me Noishe. Do what I can't while I'm gone, okay?" Noishe touched his nose against Lloyd's gloved hand to show he understood, uttering a single quiet whine. He stood and turned around, holding his head in the air and sniffing thoughtfully. He spared one glance over his shoulder at his master before he let loose a low howl and sprinted away, disappearing into the crowd as quickly as Sheena had before him.

Lloyd waited until he could no longer see the protozoan before he turned back to Raine, his hands balled into tight fists at his side. His voice was emotionless when he spoke, he couldn't find anything but pain in his chest when he reached for it. "Let's go Professor..."

Raine winced at the detached voice of her student, but she followed him to the edge of the town so they could mount their Rheairds and head towards the Renegades' Sylvarant base. The flight back to Tethe'alla seemed so short, the half-elf was barely paying attention to the cold wind that whipped her hair even as it nearly froze her skin. She kept glancing back over her shoulder towards Lloyd, the old parental worry pushing aside her loved common sense with ease. Even his expression was detached, as though his soul no longer existed in his body. She winced and pulled her eyes back to the front, not wanting to see that kind of look on his face. It was too... wrong. When they landed outside of Meltokio, she could only watch as Lloyd robotically put away his machine and entered the city.

'My body feels like it's being torn in half...' Lloyd thought angrily to himself as he climbed the stairs towards the upper area of the city, where Zelos' mansion was. His memories and his obligation moved his legs in the direction of the mansion, but his spirit seemed to be away from his body, still in Luin, still with _her_. 'Sheena... I...' He could hear Raine saying something behind him as they both entered the mansion, but he drowned in out, his mind too full and yet so painfully empty.

He paused however on the stairs, hearing two voices he knew very well. He didn't know why he didn't just continue upwards, but his legs refused to move, as though they'd rooted themselves into the floor. Using one hand to brace his suddenly leaden body, Lloyd could only stand there in silence and listen to the conversation between the two Chosens.

"Zelos, you didn't need to go to all this trouble... I'm really okay." Colette said gently, wriggling up into a better sitting position, pulling the sheets tighter around her form as the redhead watched her with an odd intensity. Embarrassed, she glanced down into bowl of soup he had handed her just five minutes ago, and gently dipped her spoon into it. "I'm sorry for being such a burden..."

Zelos chuckled to himself, gently patting his hand on top of her blond curls, watching with a strange pleasure as her cheeks pinked in embarrassment. A little confused by this, but not deterred, the Chosen told her cheerfully, "If you're really sorry, then drink the soup and get better as quickly as you can. That way when Sheena and Lloyd get back from Luin, they won't be so worried."

"The Professor really did go out and get them?" Colette asked in surprise, her blue eyes widening, forgetting the bowl in her lap almost immediately. Her lower lip trembled as her guilt intensified in her chest, and she sighed and her head bowed. 'I'm so horrible... I ruined their vacation...' "I hoped she was just joking..."

"She was worried about you, we all were." Zelos explained wearily, rubbing the back of his neck as the subject once again turned to a darker place. The Chosen had a very long time to study and watch his Sylvaranti counterpart, and he had realized from the beginning that she was almost his exact opposite in every single way. She thought, spoke, and acted purely in all senses of the word, everything she did was motivated by the best of reasons. She truly was a Chosen that could, and most probably would make the entire world proud. 'It sure made me proud anyway... She gave the title a name it deserved, not like me at all..' In a valiant effort to get her away from her guilt, he exclaimed, "C'mon my tiny little angel, you need to drink up or else you'll stay sick. My magic soup is a cure-all, it's proven!"

"Magic?" Colette repeated, tilting her head to the side as she glanced down at the soup curiously. She inhaled through her nose, catching a variety of scents floating up from the greenish liquid in the crystal bowl. 'It smells good... And I _am_ hungry...' With a little smile because she knew it would make him happy, she took a spoonful of the liquid and stuck it in her mouth.

Zelos smiled when her eyes popped wide in total and utter surprise. He couldn't help but tease as she dug into the soup with surprising but delightful gusto, "You were expecting some sort of tonic, huh?" She only spared him a nod and a brilliant grin, too busy with his 'cure-all' concoction. 'Heheh... She looks better when she smiles, just like I thought when I first met her...' Leaning back in his chair and winding his hands behind his head, he explained cheerfully, "One of the few good things I got from my dear old mum, that recipe."

Colette froze, setting her soup-laden spoon back slowly into the bowl, her eyes focussed on Zelos' expression. She had seen beyond what most of the others always brushed off, the way his eyes would darken just a shadow or how his mouth would tighten just a fraction at some of his words. Even at his laughing demeanour, she saw the pain in his face when he spoke of his deceased mother and she was concerned almost instantly. She spoke slowly, worried to hurt him further, "Zelos...?"

Noticing her frown as quickly as she noticed his pain, Zelos nodded at the bowl of soup and instructed her firmly, "Eat. I'm okay, I'm worried more about you then you should be worried about my feelings." She didn't look convinced, he doubted she ever was when he tried to cover things up with a hasty lie and well-placed joke. 'She must know how to spot a liar, considering all the time she spends trying to cover up her each and every pain... There's going to be no winning with her.' With a grudging voice and a hand over his face, he muttered, "Once you finish, maybe we can talk about her. _Maybe_."

"Alright." Colette smiled triumphantly to herself, digging back into the liquid heartily. Her tongue tingled with taste, and she allowed herself a selfish moment to indulge in the experience. 'I really did miss my sense of taste... When I realized I could taste things again, I'd even have eaten those gross green peppers I was so happy...' She realized Zelos must have sensed her delight, he was wearing a little smile that made her cheeks redden in further embarrassment. 'Oh! Darn, he saw me!' In an effort to conceal her sheepishness, she quickly finished off the bowl and handed it to him, fighting off the urge to cover her face with the blankets.

"Record time, you must be really embarrassed." Zelos teased, once again reaching out to ruffle her golden hair with a surprising tenderness. To say he had been worried when he had carried her back into the mansion would have been a gigantic understatement, he was terrified. 'I don't want anything more to happen to her, she's been through way more than enough. She deserves some Martel-loving peace.'

He wanted to see that smile more than almost anything else, something that both surprised and scared him. Any woman he had invited into his bed, it had never been anything more than a purely physical relationship. He had no desire to form something emotional with anyone. But she stirred something strange in his chest, a welcoming heat that soothed the wounds on his heart and offered to heal his scars. 'And I want that... It scares the hell outta me, but I want it...'

"Lloyd!" Colette's warm voice startled him out of his thoughts, and he jerked his head up to see the swordsman leaning on the doorway, his expression one of stone. The tiny angel spoke the question on the Chosen's thoughts, though he was worried to know the answer. "Where's Sheena? Wasn't she with you in Luin?"

Zelos watched in surprise as Lloyd's lips thinned and his hand flew to his chest as though someone had stabbed a dagger clear through his heart. Colette saw it too, and with a weary sigh, the redheaded Chosen got from his chair and nodded gently towards Colette. Keeping his voice was cheery as possible so not to worry the tiny angel, he announced, "I'll leave you two alone. I'll come back soon with another bowl so you can get some more of your youthful vigour back, alright my angel?"

Colette smiled weakly at him, nodding as he left the room with surprising speed. She glanced up at the silent Lloyd with a frown, and gestured silently to the seat beside her. "Do you... want to sit with me?" The swordsman didn't answer, but he walked to her and sat down with a quiet sigh of resignation. "Lloyd... What happened with Sheena...?"

"She got angry with me." Lloyd answered her numbly, though the pain that shot through his chest was nothing short of intense. His childhood friend's soulful blue eyes were wide with worry, and he shoved aside his pain to console her, though he had no strength to make his voice warm, "D-Don't worry... I'm sure we'll sort it all out..." 'I... hope...'

"It's my fault, if I hadn't gotten sick then you two could still be in Luin right now, having fun." Colette sighed, rubbing a hand over her face, staring down into her lap, where she had been wringing her hands under the covers. She would have had to be blind to not see the tensions growing between him and Sheena. She frowned a little, losing herself momentarily in her own thoughts. 'It hurt at first... watching them grow so close... But she's so obviously in love with him, I can't feel anything but happiness for them. I love him, I do, but... I think I mistook my feelings. Now look at what I've done to them... I feel so horrible...' "Y-You should have stayed in Luin."

"Sheena... told me to come." Lloyd winced at his blatant lie, knowing that Colette could see right through him, just as she always could. Her eyes seemed to pierce through his skin to see his very soul, and he moved uncomfortably under her gaze. It didn't take very long before he was telling her everything, though for the life of him, he couldn't meet her eyes, too ashamed to see her reaction. He felt hallow once his words died out, and gazing at the floor, he finished softly, "I made her cry Colette. Again, I made her cry."

Colette took a long moment to organize her scattered thoughts and emotion, annoyance and exasperation topping the list. She ran a hand over her face again, picking her words carefully to let her favourite swordsman know she wasn't exactly angry with him. She doubted he could stand facing another friend's rage, though she knew that it wasn't truly anger that Sheena was feeling for him. "Lloyd, you're so... _dumb_." He glanced up in complete alarm, and he was even more dumbfounded to see her smiling at him with a look of fond exasperation. She explained softly, "She isn't angry with you, she's just... upset, and very conflicted. The Professor was right, she needs time to sort out her emotions, and she was right to stop you from running after her. It would have only made things worse."

"Why does everybody keep saying that?! How could her being alone make anything _better_!?" Lloyd exploded for the second time, his tightly sealed lid blasting off with his bridled rage. For her credit, Colette didn't flinch away from him as he burst from his seat, his voice rising in fury. He needed to vent. "I don't get it, she said it before, she was lonely! She hates being by herself, why would she want that now!? What the hell does she need _time_ for anyway?! I don't understand _anything_, and its driving me _crazy_!"

Colette clapped a hand over her mouth, forcing herself to swallow her laughter as she watched the swordsman pant as though he had just finished an incredibly tough battle. She gestured for him to sit, which he did after a long moment, and with as much patience as she possibly could, the little angel explained gently, "She needs to be alone because she has feelings she has to sort out before she can face you again. She's confused, hurt, angry, and sad. If she talked to you now, she might say something she'd regret later, and she doesn't want to hurt you. She's sorting things about because she cares about you."

"I don't think I'm ever going to understand this." Lloyd muttered to himself, burying his face in his hands. His heart was still pounding angrily in his chest, he still felt like he was going to tear into pieces at any given moment. 'I want her here. More than anything else, I want her here with me right now.' He felt an angry prickling sensation in the corners of his eyes, and when he raised his hand to remove whatever it was, he was mortified when his glove came away wet. 'Wh-Wha...? Why...? What's... What's wrong with me...?'

"Oh Lloyd..." Colette giggled softly to herself, using a corner of her sheet to dry Lloyd's face, completely taken with his look of bafflement. 'He really doesn't understand, does he...? I have to pray harder for them... It might take a miracle...'

* * *

Raine glared at the chessboard sitting perfectly on the table in front of her, focussing all of her energies on solving the puzzle she had been left in since her last game with the duke. He had gotten her into a fabulous checkmate, which she was entirely sure she couldn't escape, and when she had surrendered the blue-haired man had given her one of his rare chuckles and explained that she still had an option she hadn't considered. 'And for the life of me, I can't figure it out!'

In a fit of frustration, the half-elf hit the pillow that had been cushioning her elbows, hissing a curse under her breath. She leaned back against the soft leather of the couch, glaring up at the ceiling as the wild whirlwind of emotions came over her. There was sadness, and there was annoyance, but most of all, there was pain. 'I suppose this is what it is that's stopping me from thinking clearly...'

Her eyes drifted across the ceiling, to the rooms where she knew her precious students were sleeping inside. Lloyd hadn't spoken to anyone save Colette since he had returned from Luin. Though almost everyone had come up to ask what was wrong, she had the same answer for all of them; a shake of the head and a quiet, "He'll tell you when he's ready." She wasn't very surprised to see that Sheena had yet to return, she doubted the ninja would be back for awhile. 'I hope she found somewhere pleasant to sleep if not the inn...'

She turned her gaze back to the chessboard, not really seeing the pieces as her mind continued to wander. 'I can't believe how helpless I felt... The pain was incredible... Though if that was how I hurt, I can only imagine how much Lloyd and Sheena are suffering right now...' She flinched, the thought sending yet another wave of pain through her body. 'Dammit... I hate thinking of them in pain, they're still so young, too young to be facing what we have been facing for so long...'

"You know, regardless of how long you stare at the board, you won't find an answer if your busy mind is somewhere else." A low voice broke the troubled professor out her thoughts, and when she looked up she was embarrassed to see a slightly smiling Regal watching her.

Without really thinking about it, Raine pulled one of the blankets from the couch's armrest, draping it around her shoulders and pulling tight around her. A slight heat coloured her cheeks, and she forced herself to look away from the teasing smile of her companion. Trying admirably to keep her composure, the half-elf said primly, "Well I nearly had it before you interrupted me, I believe an apology is in order."

"Even if I apologized, I doubt it'll bring back your solution." Regal answered her with a rare chuckle, sitting down on the chair opposite of her, glancing at the board with fake interest. He had been watching silently from the stairs for a few long minutes, trying to see past her so carefully guarded shell. She had let her mask slip in her solitude, and he had seen her pain. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable however, he waited for her to give him the cue to go ahead with his concerns. "However, if you believe an apology is due, I will apologize."

Raine rolled her eyes skyward, trying her best to hide her twitching lips. Unlike her students, she understood his dry humour rather well, and found it quite amusing. 'He's not serious...' Pulling the blanket around her a little more snugly, Raine took a deep breath and let herself watch him for a moment. 'He must have been watching me beforehand... I owe him an explanation...' Sighing softly, the professor said quietly, "I assume you're somewhat concerned about what you saw me doing earlier, yes?"

"Somewhat." Regal answered her levelly, choosing his words carefully as she slowly raised one eyebrow. She could see right through him, as she could with almost everything, nothing was safe from her sharp gaze. Stretching his arms slowly, he explained calmly, "You have been avoiding everyone's company since your return from Luin, Lloyd isn't the only one who has been seeking solitude. It would be sinful to say I wasn't concerned."

"Well, I thank you for your sentiments, but I really am fine." Raine said with a shrug, the lie coming too easily as she tried to brush him off. He didn't move from where he sat, but she watched as his eyes narrowed just a fraction, the lazuline colour darkening with intensity. 'Of course he doesn't believe me...'

"I had hoped we were past lying to one another, especially considering how much we have all been through."

Raine bit her lower lip, though his tone was anything but harsh when he pointed out the glaringly obvious. She looked down at her knees, slowly plucking at the hem of her white nightgown, crossing her legs at the ankles. 'He has a point, of course...' Shaking her bangs from her eyes, she gathered her courage and locked eyes with him. Her voice was shaky when she explained, "I was amazed that I could do what I did back in Luin... Allowing Sheena to race away from us with tears in her eyes, stopping Lloyd from running after her... I felt so horrible when I let him go... He looked so... so heartbroken and anguished... It was the worst thing I have ever seen."

"I see." Regal watched her closely, noticing that despite her brave face, her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. 'I have never seen a teacher so committed to their students. She truly does share their pains...' He got to his feet, slowly walking around the table before he sat beside her, placing his shackled hands over hers. He spoke slowly, making sure that each and every word held his emotion, "I believe that you did what was right, even though it caused you heartache. You know what is best for your students, and you always have their best interests at heart. Never forget that."

"Heh..." Raine laughed softly, slipping one hand out from his to brush away the moisture in her eyes. She couldn't look up at him, too absorbed in the warmth of his hands and her own thoughts. 'I feel so stupid... Having to have him tell me that when I should know the obvious...' Her voice still shaky, she murmured, "Th-Thank you Regal.. I must admit, I feel rather foolish for having to have you point out the obvious."

"One's heart can cloud the mind, making it difficult to see what lies directly in front of them. I don't mind being your eyes when you have the need of it." Regal told her with a sage nod, watching as the half elf's cheeks pinked ever so slightly at his words, and her lips twitched in a ghost of a smile. "But truly Raine... Lloyd has said it to all of us many times in the past, and I will say it also... If you are suffering, you can at least say so. Being in pain by yourself, especially when in company... There is no need for it." He found his own face reddening ever so slightly as she looked up at him curiously, and with a cough to ease his embarrassment he continued somewhat gruffly, "I do not mind being a shoulder to cry on, so to speak, if you ever have the need."

"Regal..." Raine began softly, feeling her heart skip two beats when she examined his face. He didn't look up at her, though she felt his hands squeeze hers gently, and she allowed herself a tiny smile. 'He's right... We all need a shoulder to cry on sometimes... I'm glad he offered to be mine.' Slipping her hands from his, she said quietly, "Thank you... I needed this conversation."

"Not at all..." Regal said just as quietly, still finding himself unable to look at her expression. He felt her hand gently linger over his for a moment, then she was gone and he let himself sigh. 'It's becoming increasingly difficult to speak with her on a 'professional' level... My heart is clouding _my_ mind...' He glanced at the stairs, where she had just vanished up, and his lips quirked without him telling them to. 'But her smile... It may have very well be worth all the awkwardness...'

**AN**

**And so the term jealousy really comes into play this chapter, for Sheena at any rate... And there's hints of other pairings too XD It's going to get more indepth as the story goes on, I have several new ideas I want to toy around with and so they may or may not actually get into the fic depending on how it plays out. XD So be patient with me please, alright? :3 Thanks to those who have reviewed so far, and I hope to hear from you again!**

**PS: Brave Soul, the two languages I apologized in were Japanese and French XD Niether I'm fluent in (French for one yyar in highschool doesn't count), sorry for the confusion I may have caused!**

**Sky**


	7. Back in Meltokio

Sheena bit her lower lip nervously, pacing in front of the door with a grunt of annoyance. 'I've been here for fifteen minutes and haven't been able to get the courage to go inside. This is nuts!' With a softly uttered curse, she threw her hand at the doorknob and wrenched the door open with much more force than was probably necessary. She took a step inside and slammed the ancient wooden door behind her, huffing another curse at her weakness. "Bloody stupid piece of wood!"

She had barely finished her sentence when she heard an excited squeal of her name. Looking up, the startled ninja only got a glimpse of a blond-haired blur before something solid slammed against her mid-section and through her back against the doors that she had just entered from. "Oomph!"

"Sheena!" The blur squeaked excitedly from somewhere around her middle, two strong arms wrapped tightly around her stomach, squeezing off her air supply. "I'm so glad you're here, I've been worried!"

"Angel, I think you're making it hard for Sheena to breathe." Zelos called from the couch, having seen the entire thing play out with great amusement. The moment Colette had seen the door open, she had flown off the armrest that she had been sitting on and tackled the poor summoner. He couldn't disguise his chuckles as Colette stared up in horror, releasing the gasping Sheena almost instantly.

Disoriented, Sheena placed her hands on her knees as she struggled to breathe, feeling a ringing pain at the back of her head. Straightening with a muffled cough, she tried to touch the spot but drew away gingerly with a frown. 'Ouch... I must have hit my head...' Looking around now, she took a full stock of what had just happened. Colette stood right in front of her, her sea blue eyes wide with horror and apology, her hands clasped together tightly in what could easily have been mistaken for prayer.

"I'm sorry, I was so excited to see you, you're not hurt are you?!" Colette asked worriedly, nearly bouncing up and down in her agitation. Sheena just shook her head to ward off her worry, and with a bitten lower lip, the blond stood still, watching wearily. "I'm sorry Sheena."

"N-Nah, it's alright... I'm just a little... breathless." Sheena managed with a weak smile, hating to see the young angel with anything but a smile on her face. The familiar pain she had been battling for the past few hours was already back, bubbling angrily in her blood and turning her cold despite the warmth of the mansion. 'Dammit...' Forcing the dark emotions into the corner of her mind, she smiled at Colette and told her pleasantly, "Seriously, I'm good, you just caught me off guard, that's all. I wasn't expecting a flying tackle the second I had my foot in the door."

"I was worried..." Colette began nervously, chewing on her lower lip before she glanced almost automatically behind her. Zelos hadn't moved from the couch, but she saw him move his head just an inch to each side, silently warning her. Taking a deep breath, the tiny angel continued in a much more weak tone, "But... Y-You're okay, right?"

'No, I'm not alright.' The words were practically a scream in the ninja's head, and she was shocked by the strength it took to keep her mouth closed. The jealousy, anger and most of all, pain, were nearly impossible to keep locked away in her head. Her hands curling at her sides in her attempt to keep the dark emotions at bay, she answered with forced cheer, "Yeah, I'm fine. The night away from everyone cleared my head. You look good too, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." 'Liar.' "I'm still a bit tired, I'm going to head up to my room for a nap, alright? I'll see you later..." She gently ruffled Colette's hair as she brushed past her, biting her lip in an attempt to hide her scowl. 'I'm so... dirty.'

Zelos said nothing as Sheena passed him to get to the stairs, but he saw the crystal-like tears beginning to form in the corners of her bronze eyes. She was nearly glad for his wise choice, but she made a mistake of her own by glancing over her shoulder to see Colette before she disappeared. The blond girl had her head bowed, but even with her hair covering her face, she saw the tears trickling down her face. 'Dammit!'

She raced up the last few steps, dodging past a completely bewildered Presea before she threw herself into her room. Slamming the door behind her, she only made it a few steps before her legs collapsed underneath her and she fell to the carpet. Her entire body shook, and her tears flowed unheeded down her face. "Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

The pain was nearly unbearable, every fibre of her being was on fire and being electrified at the same time. But beyond her guilt and anger, there was an even darker emotion swirling in her chest and choking at her heart. Satisfaction. Some demon inside her stomach was dancing in glee at the pain she had caused the blond angel, and she was disgusted with herself. 'What the hell is wrong with me?! She's my friend, how could I ever be _happy_ with hurting her!?'

"_For Martel's sake Lloyd, go and see her! I know you want to, stop wasting time here! Just go!"_

"I... I wanted him to stay with me..." The tears came even more fiercely as she whispered the words to herself, and she didn't try to brush them away. They fell from her face to the carpet, darkening the crimson rug underneath her knees. Her body shook as she sobbed uselessly into her hands, crying out softly in the silence, "I wanted him to be with me!"

"Sh-Sheena...?" A soft voice made her look up in complete alarm, and she was overwhelmed with a shocking wave of relief when she saw the blue eyes framed by long pink ponytails. Very slowly, the axeman approached her, kneeling beside her on the carpet. She didn't speak though her face was hesitant and unsure, and after another moment, she placed her small hand on top of Sheena's.

The ninja, barely able to see through her tears, stared in bewilderment at the little girl, unsure of how to react. When Presea nodded her head once, she felt the cords unravel. With a strangled cry of anguish she collapsed into the little girl's arms and let herself cry for what seemed like the first time in centuries.

As startled as she was with this violent show of emotion, Presea forced herself to sit still and gently wind her arms around the crying summoner. Her tears soaked her skirt, but she found herself not caring, focussing all of her attention on trying to keep the ninja together. 'She feels as if she will fall apart if I let her go... Like right now, I am the only thing holding her together. That is... a frightening thought.'

She heard Genis' voice in her ears then, his warm tone bringing some sense to her confusion. _"Sometimes... Sometimes words aren't needed when you're with a person. You can have a conversation without speech, you can imply your feelings and thoughts through gestures..."_ The pink-haired girl smiled to herself as she allowed Sheena to unburden herself in her arms, thinking silently, 'So this is what he meant about a conversation with no words... Strange... I will need to thank him later...' She could feel Sheena's violent trembling beginning to lessen, but she didn't dare release the physically older girl, too concerned. 'I have no idea what I would do if she truly fell apart right now. I do not think Lloyd, or myself for that matter, would be able to handle another loss.'

"I-I'm sorry Presea... I... I don't know what came over me." Sheena muttered gruffly, drawing away from the girl's thin arms, brushing her hand angrily over her face. She felt embarrassed but most of all ashamed. The tears had somehow lessened the knot of emotion in her chest, but the pain was still there, gnawing away mercilessly at her heart.

"Do not apologize, I followed you here because I was concerned for your well-being. I fully anticipated something of this magnitude." Presea answered simply, smoothing out the creases in her skirt before she lifted her eyes to Sheena's. Cerulean met topaz, and for a moment, the little hunter had to stop her mind. A warm emotion she was very unfamiliar with was gently raging through her body, telling her to hold the summoner's hands again though she had no reason to do so. She recognized the warmth, it appeared in her every time she was in the company of Lloyd or Genis, and now it had made a third appearance with Sheena. Confused by the pleasant heat, she decided to follow her instincts and gently settled her smaller hands over the summoner's, adding quietly, "You looked as though you needed someone to cry to... I... I can understand that."

Sheena silently accepted the tentative overture, knowing that Presea was awkward with her newfound emotions. A simple smile was a gigantic leap for her sometimes. The words spilled from her mouth, unbidden, and she could feel the tangled emotions loosening with each word she spoke. "I made Colette cry downstairs because I was cold. I felt... happy, disgustingly happy with making her feel pain after everything that happened in Luin. I'm disgusting, dirty, sick. How could I want to do that to my friend? After everything we've been through, I was pleased with causing her pain? What sort of person am I?"

"I... I think, admitting your emotions, admitting that you feel sickened with your behaviour... Is something that proves that you know it is wrong." Presea said slowly, blocking out the rational side of her mind that told her it was of no importance. Selfish emotions were part of one's humanity, to feel a sick pleasure for someone else's suffering after so much pain was natural. 'But...' "If you did not feel sickened, if you didn't care about your actions and their consequences... Then you would truly be a person that is full of darkness. But you feel pain for hurting Colette, for feeling satisfaction. You are not a horrible person Sheena, you are good, kind, that is what I believe."

Sheena allowed herself a tentative smile at Presea's flat diagnosis, but some part of her that had fallen into the shadow was slowly being brought back into the light. The satisfaction was already gone, replaced with the angry disgust, but even that was weakening. 'I needed this...' Shaking her head once, she asked softly, though she wasn't sure she truly wanted to know the answer, "Where is everyone else?"

Knowing that she meant Lloyd most specifically, Presea took a moment to organize her thoughts. 'Hmm...' She answered quietly, her eyes drifting to the ceiling before back to Sheena's tear-streaked face, "Professor Sage is at the King's library, Genis left because she forgot to bring Gald to pay for her lunch, and he does not trust her with the ingredients she left with to cook." At this, Sheena laughed softly, and Presea allowed herself a brief smile though she didn't understand the humour. She continued carefully, knowing that her words could give a negative impact on the still fragile Sheena, "Regal and Lloyd left again for the Fooji mountains quite early this morning, I believe they are training again with Regal's new weapon."

"Of course." Sheena replied in a monotone, forcing her emotion out of her voice though it still screamed inside of her body. 'I wonder if he's angry with me again... I mean, he has every right to, I basically told him I didn't need him..' She flinched. 'How much of a lie that is... I need him like I need to breathe... Dammit...'

Sensing the summoner's train of thought, Presea interrupted softly, "It is true that Lloyd has been upset, but I do not think it is with you. He only spoke to Colette briefly when he arrived yesterday, after that he went to the coliseum and did not return until nightfall." Sheena looked up sharply at this information, and the hunter continued placidly, "He was quite alright, I believe he finished the Advanced level with ease. Though he did not speak to anyone after that. He retired to his room, then was gone before I awoke."

"I see..."

"Sheena, there is something I think you should know before you jump to conclusions about Lloyd's behaviour." Presea began, but she stopped herself before she could continue, startled with herself. 'Why am I saying these things? It isn't my place to make assumptions about their relationship, especially considering how little I know of such attachments.' When she looked up into Sheena's wide topaz eyes, something in her heart ached with a warm pain she recognized. 'Sympathy, again I feel sympathy. She is hurt, and she is indeed in love with him. I cannot continue to stand by and watch her suffer. She is my teammate... and my friend.' Taking a deep breath to steady her suddenly frazzled nerves, the pink-haired axeman explained slowly, "He is angry with himself, very angry. He has repeatedly expressed that he should not have left you alone in Luin, regardless of what Colette and the Professor said."

"W-What? Colette told him that he shouldn't have run after me?" Sheena asked with raised eyebrows, startled. 'That's not like her.' She knew that Raine was much more sensitive to her emotions than she would have liked, and could very well imagine her trying to explain it to the swordsman without hinting at too much. 'But Colette...'

"Colette said that you needed _time_." Presea explained, putting an emphasis on the last word. It had been something the professor and Colette had agreed on most fervently. While she wasn't exactly sure why such a thing was needed, putting the emphasis on the word seemed proper now. "She also told Lloyd that she felt bad for ruining your time, and she also called Lloyd 'dumb' though I'm not entirely sure why... But regardless, Lloyd is not angry with you, he is upset at himself."

"I... I see..." Sheena swallowed dryly, aware that she was sitting up straight for the first time since she had arrived. Something was being eased in her stomach and shoulders, allowing her to sit taller without being weighed down. "I'm so... stupid..."

"Being blinded by one's emotion does not make you stupid." Presea shook her head, slightly startled by her own words. 'Where are these words coming from?' The image of Genis' smile and Lloyd resolved face flashed in front of her eyes, and her shock softened. 'Them... Of course...' "It gives you strength, reason, and clarity." Her voice softened, worried that she may tread too far into this dangerous territory, "You are in love with Lloyd, you care fiercely for him, and I believe he cares very intensely for you in return."

"How do you know that...?" Sheena asked quietly, unsure of the hesitation. Her logic told her there were so many hints and clues, but her heart was too engulfed in doubt and agony that she couldn't bare to follow them. Too much hurt had brought up her shield again, had made her frozen to the pleasant heat of love and kindness. "How can you...?"

"He spoke to you in Flanoir, your words strengthened his resolve again." Presea explained with a slight nod, the memory causing her to smile very gently. She continued, knowing that somehow it wasn't enough, "When you fell in the tower, his anguish at your apparent loss was so great I feared he would lose the will to continue. Your reappearance, our reappearance, you remember his face, don't you? The way his eyes lingered on you out of everyone, the smile he wore when he realized you were truly okay... He cares for you Sheena, deeply."

Sheena said nothing, letting her mind slip back to that moment. It had been nothing short of desperation that drove her back to the peak of that infernal tower after her rescue, to him. She could see him now in her mind's eye, his brilliant smile and look of relief when his eyes finally met hers. 'He was happy... But was it really me...?'

"He looked for you first and foremost when he saw us, that I believe with my entire soul." Presea explained with a small smile, slightly amused that she had to explain this. 'They both seem so blind yet they are so keen-eyed in every other situation they are in. This is truly what love does to a person... I will need to ask Genis later about this, he knows much more than I about emotion...'

"Thank you Presea... I think I needed this more than I wanted to admit."

"I may not be the best person to speak about feelings with, however..." Presea felt a rush of blood in her face in response to the embarrassment, and with some difficulty she continued, "You... You are my friend. I... I wish to help my friends, as they have helped me. It seems only fair that I try in what meagre ways I can. You have done so much for me..."

"It shouldn't be obligation that drives you to help people near you." Sheena gently scolded the hunter, a small smile gracing her tear-stained face. She knew already that it wasn't guilt or apology that fuelled Presea's desire to stick with them, and she gently set her hand on top of her head. "You're kind too, Presea. You want to help your friends because you care about them, at least, that's what I believe."

"Th-Thank you...?"

* * *

An animalistic roar shattered the calm of the mountains, followed by the clang of metal on crystal and the laboured breathing of the two combatting males. Lloyd jumped for Regal again, his throat sore as he yelled again, bringing the Angel's Tear down with impressive strength. Regal lifted his right leg calmly, letting the blow glance off of his new greaves with a solid pinging noise. Lloyd jumped backwards with a curse, slamming one sword into the dirt as he fell to his knees, gripping the hilt to steady himself as his right hand dropped the second sword.

"Perhaps it is time to retire...?" Regal suggested slowly, knowing that Lloyd had chosen him again to vent his frustrations. He had come back barely winded and scraped from his bouts at the coliseum, the fighters there had barely been able to contest his strength. He had barely broken much of a sweat himself even though they had been sparring for nearly two hours, though he attributed it to Lloyd's erratic behaviour. 'He's simply swinging his sword like a madman... He has no set focus. His anger is clouding his judgment.'

"No, I can still go." Lloyd answered harshly, his voice thickened with rage as he recovered his blades and once again got to his feet. Sweat had dampened his hair and collar, he'd already shaken off his jacket and now was clad only in his pants and his thin black undershirt which stuck to his hot skin. He found it so much easier to channel his rage into his hands as he sprang for Regal, but the man was too quick.

Regal danced out of his reach, allowing himself a brief sigh. Lloyd was already half-crazed with exhaustion, the duke knew it would only be a matter of time before he could barely lift his head, let alone his blades. 'The longer he bottles his emotions, the worse he will be... Though this vacation was used to calm all of us, it only seems to have made a tension between Sheena and Lloyd. It certainly is not healthy, but the physical exertion seems to be the only thing to ease Lloyd's frustration.'

"_I don't need this kind of chivalry, I'm no damsel in distress Lloyd."_

Her words were echoing in his head like a snake's hypnotic hiss, making him see red. Adrenalin surged through his body as he leapt for Regal, his hands so tight on the hilts of his swords that they were trembling with the effort. He brought them down again only to have the blocked by a simple kick. Regal moved swiftly, his leg lashing out with surprising force as it sunk into his unprotected stomach. With a gasp of pain Lloyd was sent flying backwards and into a boulder, the rock cracking around his back as he hit it. He didn't allow himself time to feel the pain, he jumped through the dust and back into the fray with a snarl.

Regal was ready for him, moving backwards and away from Lloyd's wild swings, his calm clashing with Lloyd's rage. His moves were smooth in comparison to the choppy swordplay his younger ally used, but Regal exploited his weaknesses anyway. 'He won't learn.' Raising his leg, he lashed out in a quick kick intending to disarm and hopefully knock some sense into the tired boy.

Lloyd raised both blades immediately to defend himself, the kick sending him back a good foot even though he had braced himself. He barely had time to lower a sword before Regal jumped forwards lashing out with his left leg, his Crystal Greave shrieking as Lloyd's Angel Tear struck out at the same time. Sparks flew from the weapons as both warriors moved away, circling slowly like animals, wearily watching their opponent.

Her voice came to him again as he dove back into the fight, dodging Regal's well aimed kick and slicing angrily at his chest. His shirt opened almost mockingly, revealing that he had barely even grazed the duke. He saw her in his mind's eye, turning away from him to hide her tears, her words a scream in his mind.

"_I don't need a guardian!"_

"Then why do I want to protect you!?" Lloyd screamed aloud, his hands shaking as he ducked Regal's attack and head-butted the unweary duke in the chest before he turned his shoulder to knock the man further off balance. Something shifted in his mind with a sickening thud, and his body moved on its own. He set one foot on the fallen duke's chest, pointing his left blade at Regal's neck while his other pointed at his knee, ready to break his leg if he attempted to escape.

Regal didn't dare move, knowing that crazed look he saw in the young man's eyes. He had seen in many times while he had been in prison, and it never resulted in anything pleasant. Many inmates had acquired that look before their death sentence was carried out, it was the look of a man consumed by a black rage that he finally was going to release. For a rare moment in the man's long life, Regal felt a true spark of fear. He had seen men with that look break down the iron bars that held them, kill guards with their bare hands even though they had been half-dead themselves just moments before. There was a reason why the look was likened to that of an animal.

Lloyd slowed his breathing, his hands still trembling at his sides as his vision sharpened. It was as though Regal had disappeared seconds before, and his opponent had morphed into someone different. 'My... Wh-What...?' He stepped off of the man, sheathing his blades with a dull click before he extended his hand to help his friend to his feet. He muttered a gruff, "Sorry..." as he pulled the duke to his feet.

"Do not apologize, you unmanned me fair and square." Regal said with a mild shrug, shaking off the surge of fear and adrenalin that had paralysed him for a moment. The look was gone from Lloyd's face as quickly as it had appeared, and the duke let himself sigh again. "However... I do have to ask, you screamed before you finished me, may I ask what those words meant?"

Lloyd didn't answer, running back through his frayed mind to find the words he had yelled as a battle cry. 'I said that out loud...?' With a weary sigh, Lloyd brushed his gloved hand over his forehead, brushing the sweat away. 'Damn.' "It's... not that important..."

"If you believe so, I will not ask any further." Regal answered politely, though his frown remained. He was glad that Lloyd wasn't looking up to see his expression, the swordsman was too busy rummaging through his jacket to find his wing pack. 'He was thinking of Sheena... He always is it seems... What was meant to be a vacation has turned into a tension filled week between two young potential lovers...' He followed Lloyd's lead almost mechanically, ignoring the surroundings as they fled through the sky.

Lloyd didn't speak as he wandered into Meltokio, his mind already back at the mansion. His chest felt empty, as it had been ever since he had left Luin. 'I haven't seen her for almost a full twenty-four hours... Martel only knows what's she's been doing by herself...' He barely noticed Regal following silently behind him as he wandered inside, his gaze moving automatically around. He froze then, his breath leaving him in a sharp whoosh as his startled gaze met familiar topaz. 'Sheena.'

She locked eyes with him, her entire body tensing on instinct. Presea, who had been sitting beside her, looked up also, her eyes widening just a fraction before the girl relaxed her defensive posture. The little axeman allowed herself a rare smile, getting up from the couch and nodding politely towards Lloyd. He didn't even return the gesture, his eyes glued to the stunned summoner who sat as though she had been frozen.

Regal coughed once to announce his departure, gesturing for Presea to follow him. The hunter followed without a word, sharing a secret smile with the blue-haired man as they climbed the stairs to leave the two young warriors in peace.

The two didn't move from their respective positions for a long time, both unsure of how to begin the jumble of words that filled their minds. Lloyd opened his mouth to speak but no words seemed to want to flow and with a grunt of frustration he shut it again. 'Damn... Why is it suddenly so hard to say something to her...? It's always been so easy to talk to her before.'

'Martel, I feel stupid...' Sheena grumbled inwardly, chewing on her lower lip as she wracked her mind for something, anything to say to him. She had spoken to Presea for nearly an hour, finally glad that someone was listening as she spoke. It seemed that it was all for nothing, as everything she had said before was lost in her mind now that he was there. 'I can't find my words... And there's so much I want to tell him, so much I _have_ to tell him...'

"I missed you." Lloyd spoke quietly, as though he wasn't aware that he was speaking aloud. His eyes were on the carpet, his hands balled into tight fists as the same ache he had been living for the past few weeks grew louder in his ears. Closing his eyes, he stumbled clumsily over his words, hating each mistake he meant as he stammered on, "I... I r-really missed you. I know you weren't gone for very long, and you had good reason to stay in Luin, but I missed you all the same. It... It just doesn't feel _right_ when you're gone away from us." He flinched, mentally kicking himself for the plural use. 'Dammit! Why am I so stupid right now!? Is it honestly that hard to put my feelings into words?! It's her for Martel's sake, I can tell her anything!' He still couldn't look up at her and attempted to recover in a louder stammer, "I mean... Yeah, on a team basis it feels strange when you're not here, but that's not what I meant. I meant it doesn't feel right when you're away from _me_."

"R-Really?" Sheena asked with surprise, her face reddening in a mix of pleasure and shock. He still wasn't looking up from the floor, but she could see his face darkening in colour until it matched his clothes. 'It's hard for him to say this, isn't it...?' Feeling the familiar wave of guilt and shame in her chest, she too looked at the floor and murmured a quiet, "I'm sorry for leaving things like I did, it wasn't fair of me..."

"I'm not going to lie, I don't get why you needed time so badly, but..." Lloyd paused, checking himself to make sure he didn't slip his words. He snuck a glance up at her, immediately disliking the look of shame she wore. 'She feels bad...' He took an instinctive step closer to her, continuing softly, "But if it's what you needed, I'm glad I didn't chase you down. But there's something I want you to know."

"What?" She looked up, curious, then drew back in alarm. He had closed the distance between them with surprising speed, and now he was on his knees in front of her, her hands clasped in between his. She knew she was blushing fiercely, but she didn't have the will to pull away, lost in the adust eyes she had come to love. 'They're so soft...'

Lloyd struggled for a moment to find the words he wanted to say, feeling his heard throbbing its wild rhythm against his ribcage. The want he felt was unfamiliar, but at the same time he knew it was alright, it just felt natural to hold her hands in his own and look up into her surprised face. He could see the nearly invisible shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep, and he was overcome with the urge to touch them with his fingertip. Speaking slowly to make sure he said everything he felt, the swordsman began quietly, "I want to understand everything about you Sheena, _everything_. When you're sad, when you feel troubled... I want to know what's going on because I want to help you. I care about you Sheena, more than I've ever cared about anyone. I need you to be okay because if you're not... I... I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Sheena was no longer blushing, she was staring at him in outright shock. She slid one hand out from under his, pinching herself hard on the arm. He was still kneeling at her feet, his eyes wide and oddly hopeful, his expression warm and if she wasn't mistaking it, full of affection. 'This isn't a dream... He's really saying this to me.' Her eyes stung and with a shaky laugh she bowed her head to hide the oncoming tears she knew she would shed.

Lloyd jumped in alarm, his stomach falling out from his torso. 'Out of every reaction, _that_ was not expected!' He was on his feet immediately, leaning down to cup her face in one hand, his other hurriedly moving to brush away her tears as her body shivered slightly underneath his touch. "Sheena, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry..."

"You idiot, I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because I'm happy!" Sheena burst out in a shaky voice, sniffling softly as she let him brush her tears away. Just as he had once brushed away her fears and held her frozen heart to the flame of his soul. She lunged at him, hugging the stunned swordsman close, burying her face in his chest, not caring about his shock. She felt his arms wrap around her almost automatically, and she laughed softly again, the sound mingled with a hiccup as her tears flowed even more quickly. 'I'm not dreaming, this is real... He actually...' "You stupid, stupid, swordsman..."

"I know I'm stupid..." Lloyd muttered into her hair, closing his eyes as he pulled her into a better fit against him. She moved swiftly to sit in his lap, her arms wound tight around him, face still pressed against his jacket. He could feel her quick breathing on his neck, and a pleasurable shiver raced down his spine as he inhaled her scent. 'Flowers... She smells like flowers...' "I know I'm not the smartest guy in the world, and I mess up a lot but... I care about you, Sheena... If you want me, I'm yours to have." She just gave him a nod and another soft hiccup to tell him that she heard and accepted his offer.

"Of course I want you, you Martel-forsaken dork..." Sheena muttered into his shirt, taking the moment to truly digest what was happening to her. Pure delight was surging through her blood at top speed, giving her the impression of being terrifically weightless. His heart thumped steadily against her cheek, giving her the dose of reality she knew she needed. Peeking up at him through her bangs, eyelashes still spiky with tears, she asked him sarcastically, "Who else would I want? Zelos?"

To her surprise, and his as well, Lloyd found himself frowning and his hold on her tightened impulsively. She didn't struggle, merely looked up at him in confusion. He noticed something then, the way her mouth curved and the slight pout of her lower lip at her confusion. The hunger he had felt the last time she was in his arms was back, this time with an undeniable scream in his head. He lowered his head and his lips brushed against hers, overwhelmed with a mix of wonder, hunger, and pleasure. He didn't know why it felt so right at that moment to do it, why his body did it without letting his mind know, but by the time it caught up with him, it was too late.

Sheena managed a muffled squeak of surprise as Lloyd's mouth touched hers, her body tensing almost instinctively as her hands flew up to push him away. She couldn't manage it however, instead her arms wound around his shoulders as she pulled herself up against him to get better leverage, moving her lips hungrily against his own.

'That feels good.' Lloyd found himself thinking as her fingers twined in his hair, pulling him down again as the embrace intensified. She was leaning back against the couch and he followed her down, feeling rather than hearing as she purred very softly to tell him she was enjoying this. His lungs cried out in his chest, demanding air, and after a grudging moment did he pull away, breathing heavily.

"Wow." Sheena breathed, untangling one hand from his hair to press her fingertips against her lips. They tingled with electricity, as did her entire body as she lay completely underneath him. He smiled at her then, leaning down to gently touch his nose against hers, adust eyes dancing with the delight she too felt. She couldn't help herself, whispering softly against his mouth as he leaned down to kiss her again. "What was that about...?"

"You're mine Sheena." Lloyd replied in a voice that was much more like a growl, pulling away so she could read the full force of the emotion in his face. He welcomed the irrational anger and annoyance, the possessiveness that made him hold her all the tighter as he sat up. She did this to him, he knew that much, and he welcomed it. Against everything he knew about her, despite how tough he knew she was and how fierce she could be in battle, this was one he knew he would win. He knew the words he was speaking were arrogant, and sounded strange coming from his mouth, but he said them anyway. "I won't let anyone else have you. Not Zelos, not Noishe, no one but me is allowed to have you."

"As much as I want to tell you I'm not some trophy, I really like hearing you say that." Sheena admit with a sheepish smile, the pleasure back in full force. She pressed herself against his chest, nuzzling into his neck as she continued quietly, "And the same goes for me Lloyd... Nobody else is going to get their claws into you but me, and that's not a threat, it's a promise. The first person to touch you is going to be the last, you better believe it."

"I believe it." Lloyd chuckled quietly, kissing the crown of her hair. He knew she meant her words, despite her soft tone there was the same anger he felt in her words too. A possessive quality that only made him want to kiss her again and perhaps this time not stop. He felt her wilting in his arms, and quickly he looked down in concern to see the hesitancy in her face. Not liking this, he pressed his nose against her cheek, the physical touches carrying the words he didn't know how to speak.

"Lloyd... Do you... Do you mind me asking you something?" She asked in a low whisper, glancing up into his kind eyes as she bit her lower lip. He touched his forehead against her own, telling her without words that he was listening. She asked softly, her voice weak and weary, "Colette... Were you... I mean, did you... _Do_ you...?"

"She's important to me." Lloyd answered her simply, pressing his lips against her forehead, smiling at her stammers. He continued quietly, knowing that she was incredibly sensitive, "She's one of my best friends. But I told you before Sheena..." He raised his hand, brushing it along her face then using his finger to trace the shape of her lips, "I've never cared about anyone the way I care about you. Never."

Sheena sighed in relief, feeling the worry, jealousy and pain slip away from her like a snake-skin. She hugged him close, nuzzling against his chest and hiding herself there in his arms. She knew some part of her should be awkward at the sudden physical contact they had, but she couldn't find herself to be. It felt natural, as natural as breathing to let him touch her, to let his hands wander over her bare skin and feel his breath on her neck. 'I've already given the idiot my heart, letting him touch my body isn't much of a leap I guess...' She smiled then, letting herself sink into a fog of happiness she hadn't felt for what seemed like forever. 'I can't believe this... I'm so scared it's a dream... But... It just feels so good...'

**AN**

**Hehehe... (runs off because it's natural impulse) The fangirl side of me is now loose and I feel like a complete idiot XD (sigh) I better go get her now... Toss me a review if you feel the need!**

**PS: Anonymous... From what I've gathered, the only reason you're reviewing this fic is to comment on the little blurbs I have left on my profile, and as much as I like hearing feedback on anything, I really don't appreciate the remarks on things I never said. It's not my sole goal in life to make people laugh and I really don't like words being put in my mouth. Sorry if this seems abrasive, but I was kinda annoyed. If you'd like to talk to me, I have no problems with being pmed or anything.**

**PPS: Brave Soul... Oh my god! I sound like Colette!? (takes a moment) .... What do you know, I do apologize that much. Yikes! I gotta cut back on that! XD Hehehe, honestly I was stunned for half a second then I started giggling to myself because I know it's true. At least I can acknowledge these things about myself...? XD**

**Sky**


	8. Complications

Raine grunted unhappily under her breath, glaring at the chessboard for the what had to be the hundredth time that night. She had kept it the same for the past two nights, spending every minute pouring over the details of her moves until she was too tired to think properly. Regal's laughing words rung annoyingly in her head, making her furious and exasperated. 'I want to give up but I can't let him know I'll fold under pressure that easily. I'm an intelligent person, I should be able to figure a way out of this checkmate if he insists there's a way out!'

She moved her knight, but frowned when she realized it had simply left her open for another attack on her king. Setting the piece back down, she bit her lower lip and narrowed her eyes, concentrating. He had easily manipulated her moves, she had played right into his checkmate. Moving any piece would result in certain death. 'What in the world was he talking about? There is no way out of this checkmate, no matter what I move or how I move it, I risk leaving my king wide open!'

"_Why did you surrender? Did you not see your option?"_

"_What option?"_

"_You could have... Heh... Never mind, it wouldn't be fair of me to point it out. You should examine the board carefully and find it for yourself. That is how a true player learns."_

Frustrated, the half-elf was of mind to march up the stairs, drag the former convict from his bed, and force him to tell her what she was missing. She scoffed at her own thoughts, mentally doing the math without having to blink. 'He has to outweigh me by at least seventy pounds, there's no way I could make that monster of a man do anything against his will. But this is so damn frustrating!'

"You know, it doesn't really matter how long you look at that chessboard, the solution won't appear there if you don't focus." Regal's laughing voice interrupted her train of thought, and as though she had been shocked, she bolted to her feet, knocking the chessboard and sending it flying.

"Shit!" Raine cursed at her own clumsiness, immediately dropped to her knees to gather the fallen pieces. She heard Regal's rare laughter as he joined her, and cursing herself silently, she scolded the man in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "Don't you have anything else to do than sneak up on suspecting people? That's how you give them heart-attacks!"

"My apologies Raine." He was still laughing as he got to his feet, gently placing the pieces he'd received back on the board. He arranged them as they had been before the half-elf had upset it, watching as she flopped back with a loud huff into the couch. Her eyes were narrowed and flashing with annoyance, and with another huff, she returned her gaze to the chessboard. "Still having trouble I see?"

"I don't understand your logic behind this, there simply is no way out of this checkmate." Raine replied pointedly, not caring if she sounded petulant. She was frustrated and his lopsided smile only added to her turmoil. Pointing to her king, she snapped, "The only logical way out of this move is to surrender, which is what I did. There is no way I could slip past your queen and rook with any of my pieces, not without leaving my king exposed. I don't understand the way out of this checkmate. If you were trying to console me, I hope you know I will be quite angry with you."

"You already are angry with me." Regal couldn't help but point out, raising his hands to disguise his chuckles as a cough. She glared up balefully at him, annoyance darkening her crystal eyes. Her hair was messy from her constant toying with it and she appeared as though she hadn't slept properly in months. Having seen her violent behaviour when she was truly angry and wanting no part of it, the man tried a much more peaceful tact; topic change. "What did you take of Sheena and Lloyd's reconciliation earlier today? I assume you heard all about it from Presea."

"Actually I heard of it from Colette, who heard it from Presea because it seems the walls have ears." Raine answered him flatly, knowing that he was hoping to distract her. She had no want to be distracted from the task at hand, especially when she was nearly ready to fly at his throat and demand for an answer. 'Puzzles are fun when played properly, but this is not a puzzle, it's a death-trap. Perhaps I am taking this too seriously, but I'll be damned if I let this man get the better of me!' Knowing that she had no chance of carrying out a threat but too annoyed to really care, the half-elf snapped, "Don't change the subject. I want you to tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong here before I lose my mind and force the answer out of you."

"Force? That sounds nearly like a threat." To say that the duke was amused would have been a grand understatement, his shoulders were shaking slightly in his attempt to mask his mirth. She looked fragile sitting there on the couch in her pale purple nightgown, her robe hid her slender body well, and the way she carried her staff gave off a powerful air of a healer that could do damage. But now he only saw a woman that was annoyed with him. Very cheerful and not sure why, he teased, "I cannot tell you the answer Raine, it would be cheating to help out an enemy. I do not wish to become a traitor to our own cause."

"Now that's just being belligerent." Raine muttered unhappily, crossing her arms over her stomach, staring angrily at the board. Every piece was accounted for and in the exact same place it had been left in when she surrendered the first time. Feeling remarkably childish but unable to help it, she looked up and asked wearily, "I'm begging you for the sake of my sanity, a hint?"

Regal laughed outright, and without waiting for her permission, he sat down beside her. The look on her face was as amusing as it was adorable, her eyes were wide and hopeful, her hands folded primly in her lap. Shaking his head, he nodded towards the board and she immediately did the same. 'How can she not see the move that would turn the game around on me? It's so simple... One single move and she has won, but she doesn't see the use...' Deciding that if he didn't give her a hint, she wouldn't speak to him for quite some time, he began casually, "Try not to look at your board as if it were simple a game... Imagine something completely different. For example..." Regal reached out and touched the knight gently, explaining pleasantly, "This knight, imagine it is Zelos. Capable of moving in a L shape manner to squeeze into places others could not reach." Then he touched the castle. "The castle could be Presea or myself, strong and efficient but only moving in a straight line. Able to do massive damage, yet easily taken out if you don't move carefully."

Raine sat on the couch completely mystified as Regal compared the team to chess pieces. As baffled as she was, she felt an odd intrigue, it was certainly a different way to imagine chess at any rate. 'I can't help but wonder, what is he going to call me...?'

"The pawn could be Colette or Sheena, a weak and underestimated piece at first, but if it can successfully make it through the trials, it can transform into the most powerful piece in the game." Regal pointed out with a small smile, quite pleased to see that he had captured her complete and total interest. "Then there are the bishops, like Genis and yourself. Moving in a way no one else can to attack or save their fellow pieces. Lloyd, and do not tell him I said this, can act like the queen, strong, capable, efficient and adaptable."

"I never thought of chess that way before." Raine admitted with a sheepish laugh, though she could see where the man was coming from. "It's such an unorthodox idea..."

"Sometimes the most unorthodox ideas end up being the best in the worst situations." Regal replied mysteriously, earning a confused gaze from the professor. He merely smiled and shook his head, gesturing back to the chessboard as he got calmly to his feet. "When you solve that puzzle, I hope you call me so I can see what you've done with my advice. Goodnight Raine."

"Ah!" Raine almost stood up to follow, wondering why a wash of cold suddenly swept over her body when he got up to leave. Sitting back down with a slight blush, the professor glanced at her knees and mumbled quietly, "Would you... Would you mind staying with me a little longer? I can think more clearly when you're around."

"Can you...?" Regal asked with a raised eyebrow, but she didn't meet his unspoken challenge. She kept her eyes down, her silvery hair hiding her eyes from his view. He sat down slowly, wondering what had caused her sudden awkwardness. 'Perhaps...' He shook his head silently at his thought, trying to banish the warmth it set in his scarred heart. 'No... It couldn't possibly be. I'm thinking too much.'

Even with that thought in mind, he sat beside her for the rest of the night, striking up a conversation as casually as possible. They lost track of time in the end, and on the board which had brought them together in the first place, the puzzle remained unsolved. Oddly enough, neither of them really seemed to care.

* * *

Raine grinned a little to herself as she watched Lloyd lean over the pond, intent on examining the fish swimming in the water. 'Wait for it...' Almost immediately as she finished her thought, Lloyd leaned forward too far and automatically Raine made to cover her eyes so she wouldn't have to see her student fall face-first into the water. He was spared the embarrassment however when Sheena grabbed him by the back of his shirt, yanking him backwards and away from the water. She couldn't help laughing out loud, shaking her head in fond exasperation. "He's a handful..."

"I don't believe she minds." Regal commented from behind her, chuckling quietly as he watched Sheena playfully punch the swordsman in the shoulder for his near accident. He smiled gently at their behaviour, muttering mostly to himself, "They only reconciled last night yet look at them... It's amazing..."

"It is, but at the same time, I'm not truly surprised." Raine replied with a short laugh, shaking her head at Regal's surprised expression. Waving a hand at the two, she watched as Lloyd's arm made its way around their comrade's waist, pulling her close until she gave in and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's something that was just waiting to happen."

"Hmm, perhaps." Regal nodded in slow agreement, his gaze moving from the young couple to the professor who was now walking alongside him. Her smile was remarkably gentle, her pale eyes glinting with affection for both of the young warriors. He tried not to let himself laugh, and teased her quietly, "You have that motherly look on you again. Is it Genis that brought out that quality in you?"

Raine felt the blood rush to her face and she immediately turned her gaze from the couple to Regal, noticing his playful smile. His eyes twinkled oddly, something she had never seen before and that only furthered her awkwardness. 'Again, he's doing it again to me. What's going on?!' Forcing her voice to be calm and to ignore her heart thudding in her ears, she answered him as primly as possible, "I-I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, Regal."

Regal let himself chuckle, knowing there was really no point in trying to get her to admit to it. She wasn't just stubborn, she was self-conscious, and he had no desire to push her away from him. Raising his handcuffed hands in a sign of surrender, he told her with a small smile, "If that's how it is, I will say no more. The victory is yours."

Raine said nothing more, though she did feel her face still burning in the afternoon sun. Trying to preoccupy her suddenly flustered mind, she watched as Lloyd ducked his head to press his face against Sheena's hair. Whatever he said made the summoner go as stiff as a pole, and her student laughed and kissed her cheek as though it was the most casual thing to do. 'He knows next to nothing about these kind of relationships, both physical and emotional, yet he seems to be getting along just fine with Sheena. His instincts must be kicking in...'

Unaware that they were being watched, Sheena turned towards him and stood on tiptoe, winding her arms tightly around his shoulders. Lloyd moved immediately, picking her up around the waist and engulfing the girl in a bear hug before he spun around. Her loud laughter echoed in the small recreational area, but they didn't seem to mind.

"So the leap from friends to lovers has been made. I'm glad. They both look incredibly happy." Regal mused aloud, noticing that even when Lloyd set her down, he did not release her. His hand always seemed to linger on her own or around her waist, as though he was afraid she would vanish if he let her go. A bit of a frown growing on his face, the duke continued in a low voice, "He still seems hesitant though, as if it could all vanish in a blink of an eye..."

"It could, and Lloyd knows that from experience. He'll tread cautiously, I hope at any rate." Raine agreed with a mild shake of her head, frowning in response to Regal's. "Sheena has long been carrying a torch for Lloyd, and I doubt she will stop now. He's trying, that's all I can say. He's improving, and that has to count for something. It will all work out, I believe that." Raine bit her lower lip after she spoke the words, her mind reeling. 'I don't just want to believe it...' Looking sidelong at the silent duke, something in her chest moved with an audible moan. 'I _have_ to... Living without hope... is truly worse than death.'

"Perhaps we should leave them to their own devices again." Regal suggested casually, turning to see Raine nod and smile gently in return. With a mirroring smile, the duke continued pleasantly, "There is much we haven't done in Meltokio, but seeing as we already visited the library, I wonder if perhaps there is something you would like to do today? After all, you are just as much a member of the team as they are, taking a break on your vacation is hardly a crime."

Raine stifled a giggle, knowing that tone. He always made an attempt to speak in a deadpan manner, but in the time she had gotten to know the president, she was adept at reading between his lines. There was laughter in his voice but also a subtle hope, as though he wanted to be alone with her, away from the others. Oddly pleased with this secret, and vastly conjectured knowledge, the professor allowed herself a moment to think. 'Hmm...' "If it is alright with you... There has been one place I'd like to go."

"Yes?" Regal asked, immediately intrigued by her tone. It was almost wistful, but somewhat embarrassed. Her pale face only made the hint of rouge on her cheeks stand out all the more. In a much more quieter, and what he hoped was an inviting voice, he repeated, "Where?"

"I know it sounds foolish to say this, but... I would like to go to the Otherworldly Gate."

Regal blinked. Her voice had fallen down to a bare whisper, and she almost looked ashamed of the request. He reacted instinctively when she gazed at the ground, gently setting his thumbs under her chin to lift her face up to him. She was still faintly pink in the face, and hope danced in her light blue eyes. Very quietly, sensing the sacredness of this intimate moment, Regal whispered, "If that is where you wish to go, I will accompany you if that is what you desire."

"Please."

Unbeknownst to them, the two teenagers and taken that exact moment to turn around to see how their followers were faring. Lloyd blinked and his jaw dropped as he watched Raine turn crimson and say something to the man who smiled gently in return. He brushed a cuffed hand over her red cheek, causing the half-elf to halfheartedly slap his hand away. Baffled, he turned to Sheena, asking, "What the...? Are they...?"

Sheena watched with interest as Regal offered his arm to the woman, waiting for her reaction. Much to her surprise, the half-elf took his invitation, though she was still a bright crimson shade as she allowed herself to be led away. "That was... unexpected. I think they're going on a date or something?"

"A date? What's that?"

Sheena fought the urge to palm her face as it reddened in response to his innocent tone. 'He's an idiot. I'm head over heels for a complete idiot.' Trying to control herself, the ninja watched the two walk away as she explained weakly, "Well... I guess it's when you spend time with someone special to you." She couldn't find the courage to look up at him, wondering what was possibly going through his mind. 'It's like we are but at the same time, we're not... I don't...' "You go out to places, like dinner or to somewhere like Altamira so you can be alone with them. That's kind of what a date it."

"Oh..." Lloyd blinked before he began to rub his chin, looking thoughtful. She was still blushing pink, but something in her tone made him smile. Keeping his arm tight around her waist, the swordsman asked her innocently, "So then, if that's the case... Are you and me on a date right now?"

"E–Eh?

"Well, you're special to me, and we're spending time alone together in a nice place." Lloyd explained with a grin, enjoying the look of surprise and delight on her creamy features. Her topaz eyes were wide and glittering, and the way her lips spread into a grin brought back the memory of their kiss from last night. 'I want to do it again... It's all I could think about before I went to bed...' "So are we on a date?"

"I don't know, are we?" Sheena replied with a playful laugh, still pink from his teasing tone. 'He makes it so easy...' Leaning on his shoulder, the ninja gave him a gentle elbow to the ribs. He doubled over as if in pain, taking her down with him, his cheery laughter ringing in her ears.

"I don't know, we could be if you want." Lloyd chuckled again, leaning down to press his face against her hair. She never struggled against him, breathing in the intoxicating scent of leather and skin. Moving his gloved hands absently down her arms, he let his mind wander like it was prone to do whenever she was near. 'I'm having trouble figuring out what to call her now that we've cleared things up... She's my friend, she'll always be my best friend, but somehow that word doesn't seem to be nearly strong enough to describe things...' His voice quiet, he whispered into her hair, "Sheena...?"

"Mmm?" Sheena didn't bother to look up, too content to feel his heart thudding against her cheek as he held her close. Wrapping her arms loosely around his waist, she listened intently to his even breathing. "What is it Lloyd?"

"What exactly do we call each other?" Lloyd asked aloud curiously, drawing her puzzled gaze. Blushing a little at her confusion, he stammered hastily, not wanting her to misinterpret his words again, "I mean, you're important to me, you mean so much to me! Calling you my comrade or my friend doesn't seem nearly enough to describe how important you are! I just wanna know if there's something special I ought to call you or something..."

Sheena blushed a dark crimson, smiling in delight at his words. 'He honestly has no idea how incredibly sweet he is, does he?' Straightening, she tugged on his collar and pecked him lightly on the mouth before laughing at his stunned and goofy smile. Quite smug that she could make him look like that, she wracked through her mind for something to aid him. 'His calling me a "friend" was painful... He's getting that now I guess, better late than never... But... How...? I guess...' She began nervously, unsure of whether or not she should be telling him this, "Well... In Mizuho, we have a word for couples that we use sometimes if they share a very deep connection. I'm not too sure it fits for us but I guess it's better than 'friends'..."

"What's the word, Sheena?" Lloyd asked with a little shrug, oddly amused and pleased by her sudden embarrassment. He returned the gentle kiss she'd given him, though the contact only lasted for a moment. It left him oddly empty, hungry, but he shoved that aside, wanting to focus on her assessment of their relationship. "Do you remember it?"

"Of course I remember, it's just embarrassing, that's all!" Sheena burst out with more force than she expected. Desperate to remain calm, she took several deep breaths. "In my tongue... The words we'd use are_ kokoro no tomo_." She was startled, the words tasted sweet on her tongue as she whispered them, sending a flood of pure pleasure through her blood. 'It just feels... right.'

"_Kokoro no tomo_?" Lloyd repeated clumsily, trying to grasp at the foreign sounding word. She smiled shyly at him, and he immediately knew that she was in on some secret he knew nothing about. Unable to be annoyed with her, he gave a tender tug to her ponytail and asked, "What's it mean Sheena?"

"It means soulmate." Sheena explained with a little smile, unable to get away from the feeling of contentment and pleasure. Winding her arms around his neck, she smiled up into his eyes and repeatedly gently, "You're my soulmate, Lloyd."

"Soulmate." Lloyd tried the word out, enjoying the way it sounded in his ears. Rubbing his nose to hers and smiling at her soft laughter, he continued quietly, "Then you're my soulmate, Sheena. Yeah... That seems to fit better than anything I was thinking of. Soulmate."

"Just don't call me that in front of Zelos, he'd have a field day." Sheena grumbled, seeing the image of the redhead laughing at the word. 'He has no idea what love is or what it's like to love someone, the pervert... I definitely don't want him screwing this up either, if he thinks I hurt him when he sneaks around my room...' She left the thought unfinished, rudely interrupted by the feel of Lloyd's mouth pressing against her own for the third time that day. 'Oh!'

The hunger was back again, though it was stronger than anything he had ever felt before. The feeling was akin to the anger he remembered from the thought of her being with anyone besides him. Not really sure why he was doing it, Lloyd's hands tightened on her back and pulled her closer as her hands twined into his hair.

She felt him nip her lower lip gently as if asking for permission to take the kiss further. She replied immediately and unconsciously, closing her eyes as his tongue slipped into her mouth to touch her own. 'Jizou that feels so nice...' Her lungs were begging for mercy but she ignored them, nearly drowning in the dizzying array of sensation. The kiss sent sparks of want up and down her spine, making her nearly go limp in Lloyd's tight hold.

"Sheena." His voice was nearly a groan as he wrenched away from the embrace, breathing heavily. The taste of something sweet lingered on his mouth from the kiss, and he was eager to find out what it was. Struggling to control the demon raging in his blood, his forehead touched her shoulder and he repeated her name.

"Whoa..." Sheena whispered, entirely breathless from the kiss. Her mind spun and her entire body felt like it was on fire but it was pleasant. Turning her head a little, his hair tickled her lips as he breathed in heavily, still recovering. 'What... Oh who cares, that was amazing.' Unable to help herself, feeling so giddy she didn't know if truly was in control of herself, she teased, "Lloyd... I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you are an _excellent_ kisser."

"Nope, no one's ever told me that before. Mainly cause I've never kissed anyone before." Lloyd explained with a weak laugh, feeling the exact same sense of giddiness in his body. It felt more than just right to kiss her, to hold her now it was the most natural thing in the world. Breaking the embrace however had only left him feeling bereft, something he didn't understand. 'I'm out of breath, completely happy, but I still want more? What in the world?'

'Ughn, my entire body feels like it's on fire... Lloyd, what are you doing to me?' Sheena allowed herself a soft sigh. She was no stranger to lust, it had been on of the many things that kept her awake at night, especially in these later weeks. A simple, yet amazingly not so simple, kiss had brought back all of the fervour of her dreams. Trying to shake the desire that made her want to do things she would never dare to phrase, she forced her voice to be cheery, "So Lloyd, do you want to go on a proper date?"

Her words snapped him out of his thoughts, which he was eager to entertain even though he had no idea where they had come from. Her body pressed against his had done strange things to his mind, and the kiss brought a new edge to his imagination, one he had no idea he had possessed. Like a switch going off in his brain, all of Zelos' jokes he had never understood immediately made sense. 'Oh. My. G–'

"Earth to Lloyd, are you doing alright?" Now worried by his silence, the summoner pulled away from his arms, though she loathed to leave any part of his body. His eyes were dazed and dark, and his expression was unfathomable but she could tell there was a certain horror that had frozen his mind. Immediately concerned, she pressed her hand against his warm cheek and asked softly, "Lloyd...? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Her hand on his face brought a new round of images into the swordsman's head. Instead of indulging in his imagination like he desperately wanted, he wrenched away from it. He was disgusted suddenly with the very pleasant ideas, turning his mind away from them despite the cry of indignation from his body. 'What the hell is wrong with me?! I'm not Zelos! She means more to me than any woman he's fooled around with! I could never do something like that to her! That's sick and wrong!'

Misinterpreting his suddenly angry look, Sheena bit her lower lip and pulled away. Nervous, she began quietly, "Lloyd, if I did something wrong..."

"N–No... I'm okay..." Lloyd managed, hearing her voice crack painfully in apology. Not liking to see that torn expression on her face, he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her close, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her hair. Banishing the thoughts yet again, he continued in a more pleasant tone so he wouldn't worry her, "I just got sick there for a second. I'm alright, I just needed a breath of air. So you wanna go on a date?"

"If you're sick maybe we should head back..?" Sheena began uncertainly, instinctively knowing he was trying to hide something from her. But he kissed the crown of her hair again to ease her nerves and gently gave her hand a squeeze. When she looked up at him, he wore the same boyish grin she adored and it washed away her fears. Knowing he wouldn't go back even if she begged, the summoner used a better tactic. "Alright then, how about we go and see Noishe, we can play fetch or something with him. I bet he's lonely."

"Yeah, let's do that." Lloyd agreed, not really hearing her words as she spoke them. 'There has to be something, anything that I can do to stop this stupid imagining I'm doing... I'll need to have a talk with the professor, she has to know something about all of this...' With that thought in mind, he took his soulmate's hand in his own, chuckling as they walked in comfortable silence through Meltokio. 'I need her more than I need to breathe... I can't be stupid with her, I... I need her too much.'

**AN**

**I'm sorry this took so long, a lot of stuff came up that had to be addressed. I put writing on a major hold (after all the goddamn block too, yeesh!), and so it turned out messy, and short. Blahah. XD Thanks for putting up with me though... And to respond to the questions in last chapter's reviews....**

**No way! I've still got a good deal up my sleeve for this story, hehe! Jealousy isn't one of the only things they'll be dealing with, though it will be a major plotline in the story, though not just for Lloyd and Sheena. There's a lot left that I still want to explore, and I'm hoping to continue this for a few more chapters at the very least. I'm hoping to end it with the royal party (aka, the end of the Princess Rescue side-quest), and there's more I'd like to do before I get there. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, and I'll assure you again, there's more to come!**

**Brave Soul: XD Okay. I feel safer knowing that there are people who will admit to being fangirls/fanboys other than me. Fans in general (those who take it to the extremes anyway), scare the living hell out of me. And that's hypocritical coming from myself, I've been a fangirl for about three years now. We can form angry mobs and lynch people, that's epicly terrifying, isn't it? I digress. XD Anyway, you hate the Meltokio sewers too? Thank Martel! Question, lol, (I'm all over the place, lol), I just wondered since you've played it about as many times as me, did Kratos spam the hell out of you with Grave in his battle or was that just my system? Because it's all he used, that and "Lightning Bla-Super Lightning Blade!" Thank god I could use items or I would've been screwed the first time around... **

**Sychotic: Hey, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the review you sent off in Chapter 5, I know it's late but I didn't forget about the whole chess thing. Hehe... The puzzle won't be solved at all though just to give you fair warning, it's something that will continue through the story as a mild subplot kinda thing. (Did that make sense?) Heheh... Hopefully I did well on the scene here, I definitely had you in mind while I wrote it!**

**Btw, yes I did do research for that blasted word/phrase, lol. (Evie: If you call typing in the phrase "Japanese translation for soulmate" into Google, research.) Get away you evil plot-fairy. Lol. Something I noticed while playing ToS was that they used the Japanese language for Orochi's name and I guess it just made sense that maybe they'd be using it somewhere else in their culture. Meh, it was a random thing and I thought it'd be a funny piece of trivia to add. (Grin) FFN won't let me link you, so grawr, but if you'd like to see what website I used, I'll link you in pm if FFN lets me do that.**

**Whoops, I've spammed the AN. Thanks for the reviews mon amis, until next chapter!**

**Sky**


	9. Interference

"Looks like somebody beat us to Noishe." Sheena remarked with a quiet chuckle, winding her arm through Lloyd's and leaning on his shoulder as he followed her gaze to the grassy field. The protozoan was busy entertaining Genis and Presea in a game of tag, which he seemed to be winning. "Presea must have wanted to see his paw pads again."

"Why does she love those things so much?" Lloyd asked mostly to himself, receiving an idle shrug from Sheena. He watched as Noishe turned on a dime to bowl Genis over, the young half-elf downed in a fit of laughter as the protozoan stood over him in victory. Presea came to his rescue, helping the boy up so the two could turn on the protozoan with laughter in their eyes. Lloyd smiled in response to the bell-like sound drifting over the plain, remarking quietly, "I think this is the first time I've ever heard her laugh."

"She's got a pretty sounding laugh." Sheena agreed with a smile of her own, noticing Genis' confidence as he whirled around Presea's back to take the left instead for better protective measures. She didn't speak as she watched them play, smiling a little more to herself. 'We all deserve a nice relaxing break... It's good to see them actually taking one and behaving like children... We're all still human, we all need rest sometimes... I think we forget that sometimes, burdened with all that we know...'

"Should we leave them be for now? They look like they're having fun..." Lloyd suggested half-heartedly, a little downcast that their plan had been ruined. Sheena simply smiled for an answer, and the swordsman found himself content again almost immediately. 'Weird, just one smile and I'm back to being happy...' Kissing the crown of her hair, he asked pleasantly, "Anywhere else you'd like to go?"

"Mmm, not really. I kinda like just hanging around with you. We don't need to do anything special." Sheena answered somewhat awkwardly, her face reddening a little as she spoke the words. 'Just spending time with you is special to me...' He smiled brightly at her, causing her blush to darken but she didn't release her grip on his arm.

Lloyd paused for a moment, thinking hard. Raine's words came back to him suddenly, explaining something about the castle. Closing his eyes for a fraction of a second to catch her words, the idea came to him like lightning. Smiling brightly, he turned to Sheena and announced cheerfully, "Actually, I think I know a place you'd like."

"Oh?" Sheena was immediately curious, but he simply grinned at her and began to walk back into Meltokio without another word. She tried to get him to talk, but he simply shook his head and kept silent. Frowning and pouting, she still couldn't get him to say anything. "This better be a damn good surprise..."

"It is, I promise." The words slipped past his mouth before he knew he had even thought them. Mildly surprised with himself, he wracked his mind for any proof that his words were honest. 'I don't even know if she'll be bored with this or not, why am I suddenly so certain she'll enjoy it...?' The bubbly feeling in his stomach told him not to worry, and he followed his instincts. They approached the castle, and before she had a chance to say something, he turned around and told her cheerfully, "You gotta close your eyes now."

"Excuse me?" Sheena raised one eyebrow in disbelief, glancing around the area. She had never been particularly fond of the large city to begin with, and she had no intention of going anywhere near the royalty if she could help it. Remembering Lloyd's minute attraction to the princess was adding fuel to the fire of dislike on top of everything else. 'I'm from Mizuho, this is not my element. Now Lloyd wants me to go in blindfolded? What the hell does he take me for?' Staring at him now, she could see the innocent excitement in his face, there was no sign of a lie or deviousness in his handsomely boyish face. She groaned inwardly, she could already feel her resolve melting away. 'Jizou... What is this guy doing to me...?'

Lloyd saw her resignation, and pumped his fist in victory. 'Wow, I can't believe I won.' Kissing the tip of her nose, he stroked her cheek and told her cheerfully, "It won't be anything bad, I promise. I just can't have you seeing the surprise before I take you there, that's all. It'd ruin the experience."

"Considering you just came up with this on the spot, I have a real hard time believing you." Sheena grunted, but with another gentle kiss, this time applied to her mouth, she let her resignations go. 'He wouldn't hurt me...' Making a show of closing her eyes, she let him pull a piece of fabric around her eyes to blind her. The noise around her rose to a near clamour as her senses heightened automatically, and the ninja took a deep breath to steady her balance. 'I don't like this...'

Lloyd's hand closed around hers, and she could feel his mouth tenderly brushing against her ear. His voice was tender as he spoke, with a warmth that sent shivers up and down her spine. "I've got you." Both of his hands around hers, he led her up the stairs of the castle with little difficulty and inside of the giant place. "Be right back, stay here." He let her go for only a moment and she could hear his footsteps fading away from her, leaving her alone.

'I'll kill him if this surprise isn't good.' Sheena muttered to herself despite the tiny kernel of excitement growing in her stomach. Folding her arms protectively around herself, she listened intently to her surroundings. Her training kicked in at the loss of one of her senses, she could feel the floor moving beneath her feet, every word of the conversations around her was as clear as a bell, as if they were whispering into her ear. 'I can't hear Lloyd's voice though... He must be trying to keep himself really quiet... What the hell is this surprise? What could the king possibly help him with?'

Footsteps approached her, and despite herself, she tensed in a defensive posture. She knew it'd be so easy to remove the blindfold and fight her way out of any danger, but her hands stayed clenched at her sides anyway. 'This might very well be the death of me. How could I ever let him talk me into doing this?'

Lloyd chuckled at Sheena's posture, gently squeezing her hands to soothe her anxiety. She relaxed almost instantly, her lips quirking into a smile. Laughing silently at this, he kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry about this, you really don't like not being able to see, huh?" Her answer was a swift punch in the shoulder, he was amazed her accuracy was still that spot-on. Rubbing the injury, he chuckled and surrendered, "Alright, I get it, I won't ever do this again."

"You better not, and this surprise better be worth it, because I feel so out of place it's not even funny." Sheena muttered, letting his voice and touch guide her forward. She took each step hesitantly even though Lloyd's grip was firm, her stomach twisting uncertainly. To say she didn't like being blind was a understatement, her entire body was rebelling against it. But she followed Lloyd's gentle instructions and continued to walk forward.

"Almost there." Lloyd told her cheerfully, fighting to keep his excitement from his voice. He felt like bouncing as he walked towards the last door, but with much self-control he managed to keep steady. 'I'm glad the king didn't ask me any questions about this, he just told me it was fine... I hope that Professor Sage wasn't exaggerating about how pretty the place was...' Turning before he opened the door, he instructed her pleasantly, "Breathe through your mouth now for the next few seconds, alright?"

"I'm already blind, and now you want me to lose my sense of smell on top that?" Sheena asked him indignantly, wishing she could let him see how annoyed she was with him. Even as she spoke the words, she was already following his instructions, her stubbornness melting against her affection. 'He's already led me this far, and he sounds so excited... I can't do anything now... Jizou, why do I...?'

"Okay, open your eyes!"

Pulling off the blindfold with an odd eagerness combined with relief, she was nearly blinded by the bright light of the outside. Once her eyes adjusted to the sun, the colour overwhelmed her and she was well aware of her mouth dropping open with a soft pop. Breathing in deeply to catch the nearly uncountable scents, the summoner spun in a circle in an attempt to see everything at once.

The two warriors stood in the centre of a giant garden, surrounded by flowers and plants of all sorts and origins. The colour was wild and bright, it was impossible to look around and not see something completely foreign and beautiful winking back at them. The sun shone brightly down on them, encouraging the two to look around and soak up the wonder.

"Oh my... This is... It's..." Sheena scrambled to find words, but nothing appeared, her mind was stunned into blankness. She spun around again, breathing in the scents of the flowers. Her smile was spreading across her face before she could control herself, and with a girlish giggle, she turned to see Lloyd smiling sheepishly but hopefully at her. Getting her words, and sense, back she asked him softly, "You got permission from the king to go into the royal garden? This place is off-limits to pretty much everyone but the royalty themselves and the gardeners. How in the hell did you manage this?"

"We rescued the princess, I figured he owed us a favour. Looking around the garden didn't seem like such a huge one." Lloyd answered with a mild shrug, though he was grinning from ear to ear at Sheena's expression. Her topaz eyes were wide and glittering in excitement, she looked as though she was having trouble keeping still also. 'It helped when I told him it was for her... He just kind of smiled and told me I could take her there...' "Do you like it?"

"That's like asking if the sky is blue, this place is beautiful!" Sheena exclaimed in delight, pouncing forward to wind her arms tightly around him. He laughed and hugged her back, nuzzling into her neck and lifting her off the ground for a moment. Pulling away so he could see her curious expression, she asked, "How did you know I liked flowers...? I don't think I ever told anybody that..."

"At Zelos' place, remember when we first spent the night there? You liked the flowers in that huge vase. I figured maybe you'd like this place too." Lloyd reminded her with a little smile, the memory coming back as clear as crystal. She had blushed when he asked her what she was doing, and defensively snapped if it was weird her enjoying the scent. He had enjoyed watching her smile, the way she had tenderly stroked the petals of the fragile plant, it had let him see a side to the ninja he had never seen. 'But she's always been like that, hasn't she...? Tender and warm...' She was blushing now and smiling sheepishly up at him. "So you like it?"

"I can't believe you talked the king into letting us enter this place." Sheena repeated, turning her head to get a glimpse of the millions of blotches of bright colour. His arms were tight around her waist, and she could feel his breath against the bare skin of her neck, sending delightful shudders of pleasure through her body. As if he sensed this, he gently moved his head so his lips touched her sensitive flesh, slowly peppering it with kisses. Biting her lower lip, the ninja closed her eyes and relaxed with an audible sigh.

'She likes this?' Lloyd wondered absently to himself at her little sigh, clutching her close. She tilted her head to give him more room, and it took everything he had not to continue. Her pale skin was oddly enticing, his lips twitched in response to push themselves against her. He was aware of a new throbbing somewhere in his lower body, the feel of her pushed against him was so pleasurable is was nearly a pain.

"Lloyd..." Sheena whispered, forcing her eyes open as his touches stopped. Swallowing hard, she was well aware of the shivering in her legs and the ache left in her middle. All because of him. 'If he hadn't stopped, I don't think I could have pushed him away...' Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she whispered again, "Thank you... This was definitely a beautiful place to have a date."

"Really?" Lloyd asked her huskily, having a hard time controlling himself. His hands were shuddering as he tried to pull them away from her body, and his body practically screamed as he pulled away from hers. She was smiling shyly at him, he could see that she was as disappointed as he was from having to gain control of themselves. 'I don't... I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't stop myself...' With a shaky chuckle, he touched her cheek and then he grinned in response to her gentle smile. "Wait here for a sec, okay?"

"Um... Sure?" Sheena watched as he turned around and began poking around the large flowerbeds with a seriousness that surprised her. He bent over then, and she found herself turning crimson as her eyes lingered on his toned body. 'Jizou!' Trying desperately to avert her gaze, she bit her lip and began to pray. 'Please I'm begging of you, don't let him see me staring at him, it's bad enough that I turn into a puddle whenever he kisses me, this is insane!'

"There, this'll do." Lloyd exclaimed cheerfully, fighting to keep his hunger from his voice. He stood with a vanilla coloured flower in hand, returned to Sheena in two strides then examined her face intently. With a little chuckle when she turned crimson, he tucked the flower behind her ear, stood back, then nodded to himself. "Yep, that'll do... Makes the flower look a lot better."

"Do you have to say it like that?" Sheena asked in a higher pitch than she intended, raising a hand to remove the precious flower from her hair. Lloyd caught her by the wrist and set her hand by her side, winking playfully. She tried with the other and he repeated the performance, earning a glowering stare for his efforts. "Let my hands go." She ordered in what she hoped was a firm voice.

"Nope. Not unless you promise to keep it there." Lloyd answered cheekily, winking when her scowl grew more pronounced. He didn't release her, waiting until she grumbled in defeat and dropped her head. Laughing, he let her hands go and then continued pleasantly, "The flower looks very beautiful when its worn in your hair."

"Okay that's it." Sheena announced, dodging out of his grasp when he thought she meant to take the flower from her hair. Laughing as she danced out of his reach, she found a violet and plucked it gently, not really caring that what she had just done was illegal. 'This is way too fun... It's just one flower...' Waltzing up to her soulmate, she avoided his restraining hands and set the flower in his messy hair. "There, now we're even. You look quite pretty yourself now."

She took off laughing before he had a chance to catch her, and with a laugh of his own he began the chase. She spun out of his reach constantly, her girlish laughter blending with his own chuckles as she ran through the rows of flowers. It didn't take long before he cornered her, and with a mocking growl, he pounced.

"No!" Sheena cried out in glee as he knocked her into the air with his tackle. He turned in the air before they landed, safely cushioning her landing with his body. They landed on the grass, but before she had a chance to escape he pinned her to the ground with his body, his hands forming handcuffs around her wrists and holding them above her head. "You cheat!"

"I'm not a cheat, I caught you fair and square." Lloyd replied with a chuckle, kissing the tip of her nose. She blushed pink at the action and he smiled gently, enjoying the sight. Her face matched well with the bow she wore around her waist, and he remarked cheekily, "Though I guess you could use some sort of special ninja technique to escape if you want."

Sheena didn't reply, though her blush grew more pronounced. 'If I _wanted_ to escape...' She absently lifted her hands and entwined them behind his neck, slowly running her fingers through his hair. The light feeling of it around her fingers brought a smile to her face, and she continued the treatment.

Lloyd turned his face to kiss her wrist, the thin fabric of her sleeve not deterring him. She had frozen beneath him but her sharp inhale was enough of a sign that she wanted him to continue. He slowly brought his kisses down her arm and to her neck, glad to finally be able to touch his mouth to her bare skin. Mostly to himself, he whispered, "You drive me crazy... I want to touch you everywhere..."

"Who said that's a bad thing?" Sheena answered breathlessly, closing her eyes as the warm kisses moved up her jawbone to finally rest on her lips. She reacted instinctively, replying into the kiss and her fingers curling around his neck to pull him closer. All rational thought simply vanished as the kiss grew deeper, the ache in her middle had grown to a roar of want that was too loud to be ignored.

Lloyd groaned inwardly as she moved underneath him, the friction causing a fire to erupt in his bloodstream. Her left leg had somehow wound itself around his, and his hands were moving on their own to slide under the back of her shirt to touch her bare skin. 'It feels so good. I don't think I can stop.' He felt her fingernails digging into his skin as she tensed and she pulled away from the kiss to gasp.

"Lloyd." His name fell like a litany from her lips and her eyes squeezed shut, focussing on the way his gloved hands moved up under her shirt to her shoulder blades. His fingers moved in slow circles on her skin, the massage nearly driving her out of her mind as his mouth travelled down her neck to find the sensitive spot just below her ear. She almost moaned. 'Is this what heaven feels like?'

"Oh my– Martel! _Lloyd, Sheena!_"

Sheena reacted first, wrenching away from Lloyd's kiss to shove the swordsman off of her, straightening her messy shirt hastily. Lloyd had fallen back with a grunt of shock but he was moving quickly to straight his hair and belt. Wondering if her face could go any redder, the summoner looked up in absolute horror to see Raine and Regal staring at them with mirroring expressions of shock.

'Kill me.' Lloyd groaned as he met the wide eyes of his professor, and the amused ones of Regal. Pretty much jumping to his feet, he felt the wanting disappear from his blood to be replaced by an even angrier emotion; shame. His eyes trained on the ground, the teenager was completely silent as Sheena stood beside him, equally guilty. 'This is so bad... The Professor is going to kill me!'

Raine was speechless, unsure of how to even begin to phrase the horror, shock, and great amusement that was running through her mind. Regal was shaking at her side, his huge body wracked with mirth though his expression was frozen. Neither of the two warriors were looking up, faces wearing matching expressions of guilt and embarrassment, both as red as the roses they stood beside. 'This certainly wasn't what I expected to see going into the garden of all places!'

Regal, knowing that Raine had no chance of saying anything in her current state, motioned to Lloyd. "Come on Lloyd. Follow me." The swordsman spared one glance over his shoulder for Sheena, but her eyes were stuck to the ground. The two males left the garden quickly, leaving Raine and Sheena to stand in awkward silence behind them.

"I honestly have no idea what to make of what I just walked in on, Lloyd." Regal began as they left the castle, turning to see Lloyd staring resolutely at the stone path below his feet. He paused, glad for the bustling noise around him to disguise their conversation. Turning completely to face the young man, Regal allowed himself a moment to brush his hands over his face before asking quietly, "What in the world was that about?"

Lloyd didn't answer, but his eyes did all the talking for him. They flickered back to the castle where he knew Sheena and Raine still were, the adust colour was still dark with pleasure as he recovered. Palming his face, the swordsman listened to his heart racing in his ears and sighed weakly. 'This is so embarrassing... I can't believe I was... What the hell is wrong with me!? I can't control myself around her!'

"Lust is a powerful motivator in our actions, to deny that would be to deny the very thing that makes us human, our emotions and physical urges." Regal began awkwardly, feeling a rush of heat to his face. He moved from one foot to the other, coughing once to clear his throat as he continued, "Though there is a time and place to... Er... exhibit those sort of... urges. I have to say that the king's royal gardens would not be such a place..."

"Regal, I know you're disappointed in me." Lloyd spoke harshly, gritting his teeth at the wave of self-loathing he felt. Regal's voice was considerate, something that only furthered his annoyance, 'I don't deserve that, I'm acting like a lecher! Dammit!' His voice acidic, he snapped at the man, "But can you please just stop trying to excuse my behaviour and just let me have it?"

"D-Disappointed? What gave you the impression I was disappointed?" Regal asked with a blink, stunned by the boy's angry voice. When Lloyd looked up with equal surprise, the duke attempted valiantly to keep himself together and not stumble over his words in his rush to explain, "Ah! That is not to say that I condone that sort of behaviour, quite obviously I do not! H-However.... Ah..." He grunted and took several deep breaths, willing himself to be calm and in control again despite his embarrassment. 'This is utterly foolish...' "Lloyd, lust is nothing to be ashamed of, it is a natural human impulse to have in the presence of an attractive female. Especially one that you have such a strong affection for."

"Then why does Sheena beat the hell out of Zelos whenever he makes all of those comments towards her?" Lloyd's voice was flat and still carrying a edge of anger, his hands had curled tightly at his sides. 'I'm a lech. I'm sick. This isn't right, I can't keep looking at her and having these fantasies, I care about her too much to think about her like Zelos does.'

Regal nearly laughed as the puzzle pieces clicked into place, letting himself relax. His embarrassment trickled away and was replaced by understanding, something he was glad for. 'I see... Of course he would create a taboo on this after everything he heard from Zelos and our responding reactions... I almost feel sorry for reacting so angrily to the Chosen...' "Lloyd, there is a large difference between your feelings and Zelos'... actions." Regal coughed once at the very light term for the word, though he had no idea how else to politely phrase it. "Zelos has no or little affection to the women he engages in activities with, you however feel very strongly for Sheena, do you not?"

"Of course I do, she's my–" Lloyd stopped abruptly, feeling a flush rising up his neck to colour his face. Regal watched him curiously, and the swordsman grit his teeth as he raced through his cluttered mind. 'This is so stupid!' Gritting his teeth tightly, he muttered the words she had spoken to him only a short while ago. "_Kokoro no tomo_. That's what she told me I was to her. She's my best friend, my comrade, she's my _everything_. There aren't enough words to describe how much she means to me."

Regal smiled and shook his head, remarkably pleased and embarrassed at the same time. Lloyd had spoken the words with surprising passion, something that touched the duke in a way he had not anticipated. With a soft chuckle, he bounced his fists off of Lloyd's head in an affectionate gesture and spoke gently, "Good... Then you know that what you feel for her isn't a mere physical attraction. You love her, and you wish to show her that in ways you cannot express through words. That is not a crime, nor is it something to be ashamed of."

"But Zelos...?"

Regal shook his head sharply, Lloyd's curious but dark tone causing the duke to scowl. 'Comparing Zelos' behaviour to Lloyd's emotion is almost like comparing night to day. Completely wrong.' "No. Zelos... He is a... special case to put it simply. Ignore him and his antics entirely and do what you think you should. I will not tell you anything further. This matter is for Sheena and yourself to settle in your own time."

Lloyd sighed loudly, rubbing his hand over his face as his body seemed to sag under the relief. Regal's words made sense to him, allowing him to unlock the guilt and annoyance behind his wanting and turn it into something better, more pure. 'I'm glad... I was worried that I... didn't deserve her... But he said... love... Is... Is that what it is...? I... love her...?'

* * *

Raine watched the silent Sheena carefully, uncertain of what words to use to phrase her mess of emotion and thoughts. With a deep breath, she tried to settle herself, still picturing the scene she had just walked in on. 'I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, considering how well they've got on already... But... What can I possibly...?' "Sheena..."

"Look, I get that you're not happy about what you just saw, but do we honestly need to go there right now?" Sheena demanded loudly, her voice rising in time with her embarrassment and frustration. Her entire body ached with loss, the fire he had kindled in her was slowly going out and it seemed content to linger in her blood to tell her what she was missing. 'Then they had to see it... Dammit! They're honestly going to think I'm some sort of hussy!'

"I'm not upset, more... confused, and slightly embarrassed." Raine clarified, the hint of rouge around her cheekbones giving evidence to her words. With a shaky laugh, the half-elf palmed her face in an attempt to calm her nervous laughter as she continued sheepishly, "I didn't expect to see you two get along so _well_ so _soon_ I suppose..."

"Raine, seriously, can we not?" Sheena asked weakly, wondering if her face could get any redder. Her body was still moaning, the reminder of Lloyd's harder one against hers nearly clouded her mind all over again the moment she gave it thought. Flustered, she quickly attempted to sort her thoughts out so the professor wouldn't notice her preoccupation. 'I'm so stupid... Some ninja I turned out to be, I can barely control myself around him!'

"If you avoid the obvious, I doubt it will get any better." Raine pointed out none too gently, though she felt nothing but sympathy for her young comrade. She watched Sheena wince, topaz eyes downcast, hands curled tightly at her side. "You're in love with him, to feel desire isn't wrong. To act on it is up to yourself and him, however I'd ask you to try to, er, exhibit your affection in a more private place."

"Raine, honestly!" Sheena exclaimed loudly, now entirely sure that steam was blowing from both of her ears from inside of her body. She stared at the sheepishly smiling professor in horror. She had definitely not considered ever speaking about this to anyone, let alone the older woman she had begun to look up to. 'Does _everybody_ know!?'

Answering her unspoken question, Raine nodded and adjusted the collar of her robe. Sheena refused to meet her gaze, prompting the half-elf to close the distance between them and gently set a hand on top of her hair. Her voice was gentle, almost motherly as she spoke again, "I'm pleased for you and Lloyd, it's about time you two sorted things out and reconciled. Yes, everyone knows, or at least has suspected, but that is nothing to feel shame of. Love is love because we cannot control it. Being in a relationship will only give you more to fight for, those emotional bonds we all cling to give us meaning and reason to live on. You will never hear me say otherwise. For what it's worth, and because I want you to know, I am happy for you, and I wish you all the happiness life can bring you once this entire mess is sorted out once and for all."

Sheena said nothing, though she felt a familiar stinging sensation in her eyes. Her heart ached oddly, and her arms felt heavy at her sides. She had never heard that sort of tenderness in Raine's voice before, it was overwhelming to hear it now when it was directed at her. Blushing slightly, she whispered to the ground, unable to look up to see Raine's expression, "Genis really has made an impact on you. You sound more like a mom than a big sister."

"Regal told me the same not too long ago, I think he may be onto something." Raine remarked with a weak smile, gently ruffling Sheena's messy hair. Gently, she wound an arm around the summoner's shoulders, feeling her tense in response to the unfamiliar embrace. 'This girl... Who has never felt the warmth and affection of a true parent... All of these children... I feel responsible for them.' "Sheena, there is something I wish to tell you before we part."

"Yeah?" Sheena did look up this time, though she still felt mildly embarrassed to be embarrassed by the older woman. They had started off quite coolly, something the summoner had always regretted, she was glad they had become such close allies in the passing months. She couldn't imagine fighting without the professor at her side, just as she couldn't think of living her life without the people she had come to call her friends, her family.

"You are my student. I will always think of you as such, but you are also something more. You are my friend, and I wish you well." Raine's voice was light as she ruffled her friend's dark hair once more, turning her back o nthe girl as she walked towards the door. Her heart felt oddly lighter as she smiled to herself. 'A student who is also my friend... I turned out to be quite a failure as a teacher... But I could not be more happy with myself.'

Sheena watched in bewilderment as Raine disappeared from the garden, leaving her alone amongst the flowers. 'She never called me her student before...' Smiling weakly, the summoner lifted her eyes back to the sky and examined the fluffy white clouds above her. For the first time in a very long time, the emptiness in her chest was filled with a warm and comfortable feeling she didn't know. 'I feel... complete... Is it honestly them that's doing it to me...? Heh... I'm so soft...' But she knew there was something missing, and as if on impulse she looked to her sides and smiled bitterly. 'I need him here with me... Even being separated for a few minutes is too much for me. To spend the night away from him in Luin was like murder... But now... After we... It's even worse. Part of my body feels like it's missing... I need to find him again.'

Laughing weakly at herself, Sheena ran a hand over her face, pressing her fingertips against her lips. _"You drive me crazy... I want to touch you everywhere..." _His words sent a shudder of pleasure down her body, as though he was back again, holding her tight and speaking the words seductively into her ear. 'Oh Lloyd... You drive me crazy too.'

**AN**

**Blah for Wordperfect. The damn thing refuses to open at home (sob), so I'm writing my update at school. Which gives it a messy look, doesn't it? XD Sorry about that!**

**Sex is a really touchy topic on FFN I've noticed, lol, especially when it comes to writing out an entire scene. So I'm mildly nervous about doing it at all if I plan on having it in this story. (Now that's not telling anything at all, is it? XD) But yeah. I'm struggling to reach a middle ground with my thoughts, so my next few chapters might be slow in the coming process just to let you know. Blahah. Woot for pain in the asses?**

**Since I'm updating from school, sorry for the nonreview replies here, but I think I replied to most of them through pm. If I didn't, XD I'll reply in pm form again just in case, I like conversing with my readers XD This has been me, thanks for sticking with meh!**

**Jesus XD I come home and edit it and immediately go "WTF?!?!?!" I was not pleased with myself, lol. This is what happens when you write at school, you keep busy glancing over your shoulder to make sure a teacher doesn't see you, then you don't look at the goddamn keyboard and end up making MANY mistakes. (Evie: That's who's fault again...?) Evil plot fairy BEGONE! XD I need to take my pills. o.o/XD**

**Sky**


	10. Silent Words of Love

"What do you mean Lloyd's not back yet?!"

Genis was nearly beside himself with laughter at Sheena's indignant cry, and he watched with great amusement as Zelos fled her outrage by hiding behind a bewildered Colette. Presea was smiling as she sat beside him, though her eyes were zeroed in on the miniature paw-pad bracelet Genis had bought for her that morning after playing with Noishe.

"I haven't seen him since you two ran off this morning!" Zelos exclaimed helplessly, holding Colette by the shoulders and using the blond Chosen as a shield. Sheena didn't try to push the blond aside, but her eyes were hard with annoyance as she glared over the tiny angel's shoulder. "I swear!"

"I haven't seen him either, Sheena." Colette replied calmly, though her lips were quirking into a grin at Sheena's unmistakable worry. She had never seen the summoner so concerned, her affection was adorable. Meeting the ninja's dark topaz eyes, she suggested gently, "Maybe Regal knows where he went off to? They talked last, didn't they?"

Sheena said nothing, though inwardly she groaned at herself. 'Why am I being so utterly stupid?!' Without a backward glance at the rest of the party, she dashed out the door and left them behind, intent on finding the young man she had fallen so helplessly for.

"Thanks for saving me." Zelos moaned thankfully, wrapping his arms around Colette's shoulders and hugging her gently from behind. He felt her hands fly up almost immediately to touch his forearms, and he quickly dropped his arms from her, sensing her embarrassment. Suddenly shamed, the redhead apologized profusely, "Sorry Colette, I should've thought before I did that–"

"N-No..." Colette mumbled, though her cheeks were still painted a bright pink, her heart echoing loudly in her ears. When she risked a peek over her shoulder, she could see his face was tinted dark as well, as though he shared her awkwardness. Her stomach flipped pleasantly however when she saw the true concern in his playful blue eyes, and she continued rather pathetically, "I-It's okay Zelos... I just wasn't ready for that, that's all..."

"Would you feel better if I just held your hand?" The words felt strange on his tongue as he spoke them, his quick mind suddenly without a flippant quip to ease the tension. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, but the obvious pleasure made him smile. Without waiting for her permission, his hand closed over hers and he asked in a much more quieter voice, "Is that better for you, Colette?"

The blond turned completely crimson, and she found herself unable to speak. Nodding hastily to cover herself, she could feel her fingers entwining with his as if on natural impulse. Coughing once, she squeaked, "Um... Zelos, do you... Would you like..."

"Sure, let's blow this place." Zelos finished for her, though in a much more blunt fashion. Smiling at her squeaky voice and shaky touch, he nodded towards the talking two on the couch and continued pleasantly, "They'll be fine here by themselves. Since Sheena and Lloyd already saw it, why don't I give you a tour of the royal garden? Do you like flowers?"

"O-Oh yes, I like flowers!" Colette announced loudly, as though she was answering a question for her professor. Blushing fiercely at her clumsy behaviour, she tugged on Zelos' arms and asked frantically, "Can we go and see them please?"

"Hehe, yeah, sure. Just be careful. I don't want to lose my arm." Zelos teased her gently, using his free hand to ruffle her hair as he led her out of the mansion. He could feel Genis' smug gaze on his shoulders, but oddly enough, he wasn't annoyed by it. Colette's presence by his side was like a tranquillizer, he felt calm, content. "Let's go!"

Genis snorted as the two Chosen left the mansion to himself and Presea, and he watched until the door shut with a loud crack behind them. Turning to a bewildered Presea, he felt compelled to explain even as his own face warmed, "I think they're going on a date, just like Sheena and Lloyd were earlier."

"Ah, a date." Presea nodded slowly, though the meaning of the word popped into her mind almost immediately, the way her friend had spoken it made her curious. Trying to understand what he could have been inferring by his tone, she spoke carefully, "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean by saying that about them, Genis."

"Well, uh..." Genis was well aware of his blush spreading from his face to his neck, warming almost his entire body. Fumbling for words to both seem intelligent and disguise his embarrassment, he stammered out his answer. "T-They're spending time together because they're uh... S-Special to each other, like they're important, you know? They r-r-really care about each other, so they wanna spend as much t-time together as possible, like going out on d-dates."

"Ah, I see... Because they care about each other, they wish to treasure their free time together to make important memories." Presea nodded again, quite pleased with this newfound idea. She paused them, frowning thoughtfully as an odd twist in her stomach brought a wave of contentment through her tiny form. 'Then... Was...?' Confused yet oddly excited, she searched for her words as well, though she had no idea why she was trying suddenly to be careful with how she phrased her question. "Genis...? Does that mean when you and I went out together to play with Noishe... Was that, in fact, a 'date'?"

"H-Huh?!" The young warlock nearly bolted from the couch, however his legs were locked in place, making it impossible to move. His heart beat rapidly in his throat, and his stomach was twisted so tightly he was amazed he was keeping down his breakfast. 'She just asked me... She just...! Does she honestly know what she just said or was she teasing me!? Wh-What do I say?! What do I say?!' "I-I-I-I... Uh... I-I-If y-you w-w-wanted it to be a d-date, I guess it could've be-been..."

"Genis, why are you stammering?" Presea questioned, very confused by the boy's red face and shaky voice. Concerned that he could very well be developing a cold, she reached forward to press her hand against his forehead to test for a fever, as Raine had instructed her to do. While she did this, ignoring Genis' increase in stammering and stiffening posture, she asked calmly, "Genis, you are my comrade and friend, you are important to me. I don't see how our 'being on a date' would be a problem."

"P-Presea, y-you're important to me t-t-too..." Genis mumbled out pathetically, flinching at his blunder. Presea's hand drifted to his cheek now, testing his temperature and he knew his blush would only make it seem like he was ill. He couldn't force himself to draw away however, though he was completely stunned at how soft her hand felt against his cheek. "I... I like you."

"I like you as well." Presea answered with a smile, sitting back on the couch and watching as the boy's face grew an even darker shade of red. He felt warm, but she knew without really knowing that he wasn't ill. Idly fingering the charm on her new bracelet, she couldn't find herself able to break his gaze. That warm feeling was back in her chest, washing over her scarred and icy heart to soothe the pain of her loneliness. 'My friends... They are all dear to me...' She glanced at the young warlock, finding his awkward behaviour to be quite intriguing, nearly as interesting as the paw-pads she had found herself so inexplicably attracted to. 'Genis...'

"Presea..." Genis began awkwardly, his embarrassment fading to be replaced by a cold wash of fear. His joy at hearing her words had suddenly turned bitter, transforming into a fear. The memory of the villager's contempt in Iselia, the cold eyes of the elves in Heimdall, it burnt him. His voice quiet, almost scared, he asked, "You don't... You don't mind me being a half-elf, do you?"

The hunter blinked, taken aback by his question. Though she knew little when it came to experiencing emotion, something stirred in her chest and warned her about the severity her answer would carry. She paused, allowing the idea to filter itself in her mind. "Ozette... was known for its contempt for half-elves. However... Daddy always told me that despite that, we were truly all equals... If you were not a half-elf, it would not bother me anymore than the fact that you are. It makes no difference to me." She was well aware of the young half-elf sighing in relief, but that brought on a round of worry in her. 'He knows nothing about me... Would it... Would it disgust him? Would he.. Never look at me with such kind eyes again if he knew about my lost time...? Or does my very being human... bother him?'

Noticing her preoccupation and frown, he leaned forwards and asked her gently, "Presea? Are you alright? Did I maybe say something wrong asking you that?"

"No... No, you did not ask anything wrong... However, may I this time ask you a question?" Presea waited until he nodded, his face completely serious. It was as if she was explaining to him the technique of producing mana from thin air, and she relished his attention without knowing why. "Does my... Does my being human... If I was a half-elf... would you like me more than if I was human?" 'I... I cannot tell him... I just can't tell him... He's a child... but he still... He still means so much to me...'

"I only hate the humans who hate my kind. The ones who jump to make assumptions about Raine and me." Genis explained quietly, though there was a new quality to his voice and eyes, a hardness that Presea instinctively disliked. "I like you, Regal and Sheena, I don't mind you... It's the ones that just won't accept what we are..." He laughed bitterly, shaking his head at the burning sensation the words caused on his tongue. "But then again, I'm just like them, aren't I...? I'm as bad as they are for hating humans for hating us..."

Presea shook her head, narrowing her eyes. Her hands tightened almost instinctively into fists, and she had tensed as though she was ready to leap into battle. His expression stirred something in her chest, something that made her want to shake some sense into the boy even though she didn't know why. Logically, his words made sense to her, and she wanted to agree, but she couldn't. Her words were a disagreement with her mind, but she found no reason to care about it as she spoke. "No, you are not. I will not believe that. You are different from the people who chastised and abused you and your sister. They cannot admit their misdeeds, and you at least can admit where you go wrong and attempt to atone."

"Presea...?"

"Genis, I will not forgive you if you continue to speak like that. I simply won't stand for it." Presea explained flatly, though something was stretching and moving with audible cracks inside of her tiny body. Struggling with herself to keep the emotion from reaching her face, she continued quietly, "The people who cannot see past skin, past their prejudice... You are not like them. You at least try to like the humans you are with, and that counts for something. It has to–" She was cut off when his small hands fixed themselves on her shoulders and yanked her close, enveloping her in a tight hug. Blinking in surprise, she realized her arms had simply stopped working the second he embraced her.

Genis' voice was shaking as he closed his eyes tightly, fighting off the tears he knew were trying to spill despite his best efforts. Her words, though flat and cool, were the warmest thing he had ever heard. "Thank you... Thank you." He felt her moving shakily in his arms, as stunned as he was by the sudden embrace. Her thin arms slowly wound themselves around his shoulders, her tense body relaxing as she hugged him back. 'Thank you... for saying those words... Even if I don't believe them right now... Thank you.'

* * *

"You know, I'm truly surprised you managed to talk some sense into him, I don't think anything I said got across to Sheena." Raine commented with a little laugh, shaking her head at the duke's embarrassed expression at her words. Folding her arms across her chest, she glanced up peacefully at the bright blue sky, adding softly, "You have an odd way with words around them... I envy that."

"Lloyd only listened to me because I helped him finish his puzzle, if I hadn't been able to do that, he would have ignored me and stubbornly attempted to fix it on his own." Regal answered her with a simple shrug, though his face had turned a nice shade of pink at the compliment.

Raine's lips twitched at the reference to a puzzle, though she said nothing for a moment. 'That reminds me...' A devilish smile growing on her face, she asked him casually, "By the way, Regal, now that you mention puzzles, I wanted to talk to you about that checkmate." He stiffened at her side, and she forced herself not to laugh. 'I knew it...' "There is no answer to that particular situation, is there?"

Regal coughed once, his first knee-jerk reaction to escape. He couldn't look up to see her expression, worried that he would find only anger in the normally kind eyes he had grown quite fond of in the past few weeks. Letting out a little breath, the duke explained quite lamely, embarrassed to admit it, "You're... right... There was no move... I knew you would be hard-pressed to figure it out, so I hoped I would be able to speak with you over the game... I... I was..."

"I'm glad you lied." Raine laughed quietly, finding herself leaning ever so slightly on his shoulder as they walked through the streets with lazy contentment. She truly was pleased, their little talks had somehow changed their relationship, something that while embarrassing her, gave her great pleasure. 'He has become a truly great part of my life...' "To be honest, I was always anxious when I spoke with you, I looked constantly for something trivial to discuss but looks like you beat me to the punch."

Regal chuckled too, suddenly feeling the weight from his chest lift ever so slightly. She was smiling, her pale face still dusted pink, but there was a shy happiness in her eyes that he had never seen before. He had longed to see her smile honestly, free from her cold facade that she truly despised. 'She's a loving person that forces herself to be strong for the sake of strengthening those around her... It makes her so deserving of love...' Knowing that familiar warmth in his heart, he allowed it to wash over his scars and began to caress them, in hopes of healing the wounds he had carried for so long. Perhaps too long. "Raine...?"

Raine looked up sharply at the call of her name, eyes widening automatically. There was a tenderness in his deep voice that sent a delicious jolt of anxious desire through her body. He was leaning close to her, his hands gently resting under her chin, azure eyes intense. Her breath caught in her throat even as her mind positively shrieked in delight. 'He's going to....' "R-Regal...?"

"May I beg for permission to kiss you, Raine?" His voice was the lowest of a whisper, his thumb gently caressing her chin in an absent way that made her ache. His eyes never left hers, staring into what could have possibly been her soul.

'I'd let you run me through if you asked in that voice.' Raine found herself thinking blearily, her mind oddly detached from her body as she returned his gaze. She couldn't find her words, so she simply nodded and closed her eyes tight. 'Martel, if this is a dream, don't wake me until it's over...'

The pressure of his lips on hers immediately caused her eyes to fly open, her entire body freezing to the spot as if she had grown roots out of her feet. The kiss only lasted a few moments, then it was over, sweet and chaste yet incredibly fiery nonetheless. His eyes were still closed as he drew away, but his mouth was curved into an unmistakable smile of pleasure. She was sure her expression mirrored his, and she whispered a quiet, "Oh..."

"I've been longing to do that for quite some time..." Regal muttered gruffly, resisting the primal urge to repeat it, and this time not leave the embrace so simple. She smiled hesitantly at him, her face red but her delight obvious. He extended his arm to her, bowing slightly as he retained his professional manner, "May I request the privilege of being your escort for the rest of the day, my lady?"

"Yes, you may, my good sir." Raine answered pleasantly, winding her arm around his, brushing her fingers against the tense muscle. She risked a little peek up at the man, noticing the gentle light in his eyes. 'He looks so much younger when he smiles... I wonder if he ever noticed that about himself... It's quite an attractive quality...'

"I have been meaning to ask you..." Regal coughed once to ease his embarrassment, thoroughly bewildered at his awkwardness. It had never been easy to speak with her over any of the other members of the party, but now it seemed to be even worse. Annoyed with himself, he took a deep breath, grunted, then tried again. "Ahem... The royal party the king plans for us to attend... He made a suggestion of bringing an escort, and I wondered if you would like to accompany me."

"Of course, though I do want to warn you, I'm not the type who enjoys those fancy parties." Raine told him with a roll of her eyes, idly fiddling the collar of her robe in embarrassment. She had never been the type to dress up either, and now the thought jumped into the forefront of her mind. 'I have no idea what sort of thing they'll be sending for me to wear, I'll probably look absolutely horrid...'

"I do not prefer the company of the nobles either." Regal assured her with a wan smile, gently giving her hand a squeeze to make her smile. It worked well, her cheeks pinked but her lips quirked and he was overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her again. He gave into that urge, though he made sure to keep the embrace short. "I would much rather prefer to be with you the entire night. It would certainly make for more pleasant atmosphere."

"Though you'll need to mingle at least a little, you are a duke after all. They'll expect to see you and your _attendants_ trying to get along with the high society." Raine teased lightheartedly, laughing when he rolled his eyes in what could have been exasperation. There was a smile playing on his mouth however, and she knew he was amused. "By the way, I would like to question that, I don't believe_ I_ ever was your attendant. Lloyd I can understand, but honestly, me?"

"Royalty obviously does not realize true beauty and talent when it stares them in the face." Regal answered her simply, quite pleased to see the professor jerk as though she'd been electrocuted. On cue, her pink cheeks skipped at least three hues as they darkened. 'She's quite easy to embarrass... It's quite adorable... Besides that wretched fan-club of hers, has she ever been called beautiful...?' "You look shocked."

"I-I'm not shocked, I'm just... caught off guard." Raine answered somewhat defensively, brushing her free hand over her face as though it would wipe away her blush. He said the words so simply, as though they were a simple matter of fact and couldn't be debated. Annoyed at being outplayed, she wracked her mind in an attempt to find a way to get even. At a loss, she finally conceded and admitted bitterly, "Fine, I'm surprised. Not many people compliment me... Being a half-elf sort of ruins that."

"It doesn't matter to me that you are a half-elf." Regal told her quietly, though there was a new firmness in her voice that drew her gaze in surprise. His eyes were dark, yet again intense, and his hands had tightened on hers. He leaned down to add more emphasis to his words, and the professor was suddenly very aware of their difference in size. His voice was gentle but incredibly intense when he continued, "You could easily be human, elven, or even an angel of Cruxis, and it would not change how I feel about you. Your race is not what makes you who you are, if you were human it would not change the fact that you are a compassionate, intelligent, quick-witted and brave woman. I have no care for racial quarrels when I know it doesn't make you who you are. You are what you make yourself, and race has nothing to do with it."

Raine bit her lower lip against the flood of arguments her mind made almost immediately to his warm words. Her logic was taking a beating as her heart soared, and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself. The words were foreign, almost a different language, but his emotion rang true. There was no deceit in his face or in his voice. Hoarse, she whispered a weak, "Thank you..."

"Raine, you are an exquisite creature, and nothing will change that." His arms looped over her head and tugged her close, effectively trapping her in a strong embrace. He could feel her lithe body shuddering against his own as her hands clutched at the front of his shirt, burying her face in his chest. She needed to hear those words, no matter how tough or well-built her facade was. 'Even someone like her will need a shoulder to cry on...' As he held her close in the middle of Meltokio, he could feel something shifting inside of his chest, towards the woman in his arms. 'When did this start happening...? When did I find myself so... in love? Do I even deserve it after everything that happened...?'

Feeling her cold tears on his neck, he shook away the thoughts, settling for tightening his hold around her waist. The guilt was consuming, but his worry was just as fierce. 'I need her to be alright... It doesn't matter how I feel right now... As long as she is okay... I think it will be alright... Fate has blessed me and perhaps it's just time for me to accept it...'

"Thank you..."

* * *

Lloyd muffled a grunt as he tossed himself onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow with a low curse. Night had fallen outside, the only light that shone in the room was the fire and the glow of the moon outside his window. Rolling onto his back, he raised his hand in front of his face, watching the fire's light catch and reflect off of Anna's Exsphere.

He spoke aloud, his voice lower than a whisper as his eyes fixed on the glowing centre of the gem. "Mom... I wish you were here to help me... I don't know who else to talk to about Sheena..." It was as if she was answering him, a warm and featherlight warmth spread through his crest and into his arm, moving its way slowly and steadily into his chest and around his heart.

A gentle knock on his door broke through his thoughts, and he sat up automatically. Forgetting he was only wearing a thin t-shirt and leaving his blades by the bed, he hurriedly got up to answer the door. He blinked in alarm when he saw who was standing there, his mouth moving instinctively to speak her name. "Sheena...?"

"I'm glad I found you, do you know how hard you are to track down?" Sheena asked in a playful attempt to be scolding, but her voice broke and she felt her muscles sag in relief. It was nearly midnight, and she had spent the better part of the day trying to find him. She was exhausted but overwhelmed with relief.

"Sheena, you look tired... How long have you been out there?" Lloyd asked worriedly, tugging her inside and closing the door behind him with a snap. She was shivering as he pulled her into his arms, and he realized with a jolt that she was cold. Immediately clutching her even closer, he exclaimed softly, "You're freezing... What were you doing?"

Sheena sighed quietly, enjoying the warmth his body gave her simply by embracing her. Pressing her face against his chest to hear his heart, her arms dropped around his waist as she returned the hug. Her voice soft, she answered, "You didn't come home... I got worried..."

"Home?" Lloyd repeated with a raised eyebrow, drawing away slightly to glance down curiously at her. She looked properly shocked at her own blunder, and with a quiet laugh he kissed the crown of her hair. His voice gentle, he whispered tenderly into her ear, "Yeah, you're right... Home... My home is wherever you are, it doesn't matter where it is..."

"If that's the case, why didn't you come back?" Sheena asked, valiantly trying to fight off her pleasure to his words. He said it so sincerely, she had no trouble believing him. Unable to let him go just yet, she settled for nudging her nose against his, trying to look annoyed but even that didn't seem to want to work out. 'I'm just too happy to have found him...'

"I had some stuff to sort out." Lloyd answered truthfully, Regal's words ringing in his mind even now. He hadn't been able to face her with the duke's voice still whispering in his ear, instilling a doubt that only left him feeling empty. Her eyes were wide with worry, and he smiled gently to ease it, brushing his mouth along her cheek as he whispered, "It's okay... I'm alright now... Sorry for leaving you alone, I won't do it again."

"You better not..." Sheena grumbled quietly, but she made no effort to push herself away from him. He nuzzled against her hair, breathing quietly and holding on tight. Bringing her hands up to rest on his chest, she kissed the only part of him she could reach, his hair, and continued softly, "I don't like it when you're away from me. I can't focus on anything, I just get all flustered..."

Lloyd tried not to smile, her words echoing the hollowness he had felt since he left her in the garden. Leaving her behind was like separating his soul from his body, leaving him achingly empty and painfully alone. Absently moving his bare hands down her arms, he was surprised to feel how cool her skin felt against his. "You're still cold... C'mon, you need to get warm."

Sheena didn't object when he took her by the hand and sat her down in front of the small fireplace in the corner of the room. Sitting practically in his lap, his fingers entwined with hers, he held her hands out to the fire to warm her, occasionally ducking his face to kiss the exposed skin of her neck and shoulder. With a contented sigh, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, losing herself for a moment. 'It just feels so good to sit here and say nothing... It's comfortable. I'm so at ease with him around, all my nerves from earlier just disappeared the second I saw his face...'

"How long were you looking for me?"

"I got back to the mansion an hour after talking with Raine... I kinda sat around for a little while then when Zelos told me you hadn't come back by about dinner I decided to go and find you." Sheena admitted sheepishly, waiting for the scolding she knew she was going to receive. She had spent the better part of the afternoon searching every hotel for him when she couldn't pick up a trail in the city, and by the time night fell, so had the temperature. Her toes and fingers felt rather numb, but with the way he was holding her, she didn't doubt it'd take very long to warm up again.

Lloyd stifled a laugh and sigh of exasperation, burying his face into her hair, letting the floral scent calm him and set a fire in his blood at the same time. His heart hurt as he held her close, impatient to get her warm and make her feel better. 'She spent all that time looking for me... I seriously don't deserve her...'

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?" She twisted her head to get a good look at him, topaz eyes gentle with concern when he frowned slightly. Wriggling a hand free of his grip, she reached behind her to gently trace his lips, satisfied when they quirked into a smile almost instinctively.

"Well..." Lloyd sighed when her eyes narrowed and she cocked one eyebrow, telling him without words that she wasn't going to accept anything short of the truth. Kissing her fingertip, he took a deep breath and steadied himself, still unable to let her go. He began wearily, "After we got caught, Regal kinda had a talk with me."

Sheena raised both eyebrows now, wondering where this conversation could lead them. She remembered very well her short chat with Raine, and it brought back all of the sensations that he'd instilled in her that morning. Twining her fingers with his, she better settled into a more comfortable position while turning herself around so she could see his eyes. "And...?"

"I told him some things." Lloyd answered her half-truthfully, avoiding her curious gaze unconsciously. The words rang true in his heart now, but he couldn't find the strength to speak them. 'I've stood up to Yggdrasil, to all of the Spirits, to countless monsters and Martel knows what else... And I can't tell her that I...' Resting his forehead on her shoulder, he breathed deep to try to settle himself, holding her as though she would slip from his grasp at any moment.

"Lloyd...?" Sheena began softly, unsure of what had brought the strange mood on in her swordsman. She jumped at the unconscious possession she had used, eyes widening as the realization struck her like lightning. 'When did he become "mine"? When did I...?' closing her eyes tightly, she felt the ferocity of her emotion gently savage every part of her body that she'd never allowed it to touch.

"You mean the world to me." He still couldn't look up at her while he spoke the words, too worried to see anything but acceptance in the kind eyes he had come to love. His hold tight and eyes clenched shut, he whispered against her neck, "You mean _everything _to me. If I lost you... I don't know what I'd do, I don't think I could keep on living. I've never cared about anyone the way I care about you. You're more than just my comrade, my friend or my soulmate, you're my reason for living. Sheena, I... I love you."

Sheena felt something snap with a thunderous crack in her chest, letting loose a flood of mixed emotion that was so fierce she forgot to breathe. She sat in his arms for what seemed like forever, trying to think through the words that were almost being screamed in her head. 'He said it... He said it!' Swallowing the stone in her throat and taking a deep breath, she gently pulled away from his arms, placing a hand under his chin to lift his face to hers. Smiling sheepishly into his worried face, she let her hand rest against his cheek, murmuring softly, "I love you too, Lloyd."

His reaction was instinctive, and it caught them both off guard. His mouth was gentle against hers, his hands moving to undo the bow in her hair, letting it cascade down her shoulders. Her arms wound around his shoulders to pull him closer, eagerly opening her lips to his questing tongue. She felt rather than heard him growl in satisfaction as the kiss intensified, and moving on instinct, she slid her hands down his neck and splayed them flat on his chest.

"I love you." Lloyd whispered when he broke the kiss, both of them breathless and dazed. She just nodded, topaz eyes liquid gold as he resumed the embrace. It was her turn to moan as his mouth left hers to travel lazily down her neck, hands moving slowly down her ribcage then back up to rest on her shoulders. She clutched at the front of his shirt, throwing her head back with another whimper of his name that sent a purely primal surge of arrogant pleasure through the swordsman's entire body.

"I love you too." Sheena groaned as he leaned her back onto the carpet, settling himself on top of her in an oddly ordinary position. The harder planes of his body pressed tenderly against hers, giving her a new but still familiar sensation of completion. He left a hot trail of kisses down her neck and to her shoulder, tugging the neck of her robe away so he could get better access to her skin.

"Regal told me..." Lloyd whispered between kisses, feeling her legs moving restlessly against his own, reigniting the desire he'd been fighting for what seemed like centuries. "He told me that lust was nothing to be ashamed of..." Slowly and tenderly running one hand under her shirt to caress the sensitive skin of her stomach, he continued huskily, "That I just wanted to express my love for you in ways that I couldn't in words. I think I get what he means now... I want to love you, Sheena."

"I want you to love me." Sheena whispered back, closing her eyes tightly as his hand moved curiously against her stomach then up against her chest, causing her to shiver. She'd never been touched so gently in her entire life, it stoked the hunger that nearly made her cry out. She could feel her rational thoughts slipping from her mind as her entire being focussed around his touch and the pleasure he was giving her.

Lloyd kissed her again, feeling her right leg hooking itself around her waist as she began to move underneath him. There was a strange rhythm to her movements, and he could feel himself replying against her as the kiss grew more intense. She tasted so sweet against his tongue, it drove him wild.

"Maybe we should move to the bed?" Sheena suggested breathlessly as they both parted for a quick gasp of air. She didn't release him however, she barely remembered how to move her legs and she doubted she had the strength, or the desire, to pull away from him.

Groaning quietly at her soft suggestion, he tried to pull away from her kiss but couldn't find it in himself to do it. "Sheena..." He groaned in agony, wrenching himself away from her with more self-restraint then he ever thought he'd have to use. His arms feeling painfully empty, he simply scooped her from the floor and cradled her to his chest, resuming the kiss as though he'd never broke it.

She barely felt herself being set on the bed, or him leaning over her, never breaking the kiss. Every fibre of her body was on fire as his hands slowly began to untie her robe and slide it from her body. His mouth was busy whispering over her newly exposed skin, eager to claim it as his own while she busily made do with undressing him as well.

She couldn't remember the countless times she'd dreamed of doing this, of being able to touch him so carelessly. This felt so much better than any dream. Her fingertips ghosted through his hair then down to his chest, feeling the muscles tighten under his skin at her touch. Feeling quite pleased with this development, she repeated the gesture, earning a groan of pleasure from Lloyd. She smiled.

Lloyd would have spoken but his words had escaped him. She rolled him over onto his back with a swift movement, straddling him with another. Propping himself up, he kissed her again, winding his fingers into her hair as she purred her pleasure to the embrace. Eager to see how much else he could make her feel, his hips began to move on their own, mocking what they both knew was to come yet didn't know.

"Oh Martel." Sheena moaned out loud, closing her eyes tightly as the friction proceeded to drive her insane. Her entire middle body ached in protest, leaving her a whimpering mess as she clung to him tightly. His hands were magic on her hot skin as they moved downwards and gently pulled off the skintight sleeves she wore under her kimono. Wanting to see the rest of him while she was already half undressed, she pulled once at the hem of his t-shirt, signalling she wanted his obedience.

Smiling darkly at her unspoken command, Lloyd released her and slowly raised his arms, eyes flashing at the delight he saw in her eyes. There was more than desire there, he could see the love she felt for him too as she removed his shirt and let her fingertips slide down his bare chest. Her hands were gentle while she familiarized herself with every contour of his toned body, and he found himself content to close his eyes and lie still while she explored.

"I've dreamt of doing this for a long time." Sheena told him quietly, leaning down to kiss the exposed muscles of his torso. He stiffened under her, his hands flying up to catch her by the shoulders. Not deterred by this, she continued the torture, listening to him hiss her name between grit teeth. It only served to further her excitement. "Jizou you drive me nuts..."

"You're driving me insane too." Lloyd grunted, fighting to keep his body still under her exploration. The featherlight touches only served to drive his desire to a new edge, nearly causing the pleasure to be an agony. He saw her face above his, eyes sparkling with mischief as though she knew what she was doing to him. She ran her index finger down his chest, stopping at his pants before gently moving down lower to touch his fly and unbutton it.

Intrigued by the groan he made when her fingers brushed ever so slightly against his arousal, she made to unbutton the rest but he was too quick for her. In one smooth movement he'd seized her wrists in one hand and switched their positions. His hips pressed tightly against her own, he growled into her ear, "Not yet. I want to see all of you first."

"If you say so." Sheena replied in a breathless laugh, taking her hands out from his grip and instead holding one of his in her own. Slowly she moved his hand up her stomach and to the thin fabric of her bra, letting him decide what to do next. She had completely forgotten to be awkward with her body, to feel strange as he rained kisses and touches to parts of her that she normally didn't allow to be seen. Lloyd made it so easy to just accept the pleasure and be earnest to return the favours.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Lloyd muttered against her jaw as he kissed her again, moving his left hand around her body to pull her off the bed and press against him. His right however was busy exploring her front, testing the thinness of her bra before moving his fingers lazily across her front. She gasped sharply, her entire body becoming stiff at the motion. 'So she likes that?'

"Lloyd, please." Sheena found herself begging, biting her lower lip to stifle the cries that were building in her throat in response to his teasing. She had a very difficult time remembering that he had never touched a girl like the way he was touching her now, it seemed like he knew everything that made her whimper and beg for more. "Please..."

Her pleas sank into him like lead, causing him to drop his head from her mouth and press his face into her neck. Groaning quietly as she continued to squirm underneath him, desperately seeking a release that he too was aching for, he groaned, "Tell me what you want."

Sheena moaned softly as his lips found her ear, repeating the command in a growl that thickened his voice and sent delicious shivers of pleasure and desire through her entire body. He nipped tenderly at her earlobe, his tongue moving in circles against her neck to only increase the pleasure. Eyes clenched tight and knowing what the words would condemn them to, she whispered, "Complete me, Lloyd. Make love to me."

**AN**

**Hehehe.... XD (runs off in a complete fangirl manner, laughing like a maniac). Okay, before anybody gets any idea about flaming me for what I just left, lol, I want to humbly request something. I don't like writing smut, I'm going to tell everyone that right now. It's embarrassing, I feel awkward writing it, but I do it anyway, lol. So if you want to see the full thing, then just tell me ****politely**** in a review XD I'm not a tease just to be a tease, okay? XD**

**Brave Soul: (points to above statement) Lol, so yeah. I don't exactly feel like the entire situation has to be written, and that it makes the story regardless of if it is or not, but lol, there we go. Hehe... and did you catch the RainexRegal moment? XD Have I been screwing you up with that, or have you gotten used to it yet? Lol, just remember that I like to joke around, so I don't mean anything offensive by teasing, lol.**

**Koinekid: Heehee... Thanks? I hope this makes it... easier to review? XD**

**Sychotic: Actually writing emotion is always something I've tried to improve on when I write. It's hard to express sometimes, through body language, tone and inflection, which sometimes just can't be caught in a written scene. I'm glad I'm doing it relatively well, lol.**

**Swordude: Was it longer this time around? I tried hard to make it longer for you, lol. Hehe... XD Thank you though, and if I was teasing you last chapter, am I just being horrid to you right now? Hehe... I take no sadistic pleasure from that comment either, tis why I'm leaving it up to the readers to "demand", and I use that term very lightly!, a full continuation in the next chapter.**

**Btw... Shameless plug in... XD I have a poll going on right now on my profile because I'm useless. I got the BEST ever assignment for my second period journalism, I get to do a narrative interview with any fictional character of my choice. I fangirled so hard all the people around me told me to shut up. I was the happiest teenage girl alive. Since I can't really decide whether or not to do somebody, I figured I'd pose the question to the people who know me as a fangirl, my readers. I might end up uploading the written interview on ffn just for the laughs, so keep that in mind when and if you vote... and please vote XD I need help!**

**PS: I dedicate this chapter to one of my newest friends that I discovered online not too long ago. You've given me the courage to write for them and I'm very blessed to call you my friend writer in arms. Thanks for everything Dmitri, aka Celsius009).**

**Sky**


	11. Wanting and Needing

Lloyd wasn't entirely sure what had happened next, he was only aware of Sheena's whispered plea echoing in his ears as he kissed her again, though this time with much more force than he had used before. He could hear her moaning through the kiss, her hands undoing his belts while his moved swiftly to remove her stockings.

"_You love her, and you wish to show her that in ways that you cannot express through words."_

There were no words for the things he was feeling, for the images slicing through his fevered mind as she hungrily returned his kiss, her hands mapping out every single thing about him. It was beyond any carnal want or jealous desire, he didn't even think a word as powerful as love came to describing what he wanted, what he was feeling. There were no words.

Breaking the kiss to get a gasp of air, there was a new throbbing echoing in both his ears and in his body, creating a strange rhythm that demanded complete and utter obedience. Never one to deny his instincts, he followed its lead blindly. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as she moved restlessly beneath him, begging for release from the ache that was screaming in both of their bodies.

"Please. I need you."

His body moved on its own, he didn't know what he was doing only that he was doing it. He could feel her legs hooking around his waist to pull him closer, her breathing ragged as they broke for another gasp of air. Even though it felt so good, there was still a wanting he didn't understand. More. Groaning her name as he shook out of his pants, he only knew the warmth of her skin pressing against his own as their clothes littered the floor. There had to be a way to have more than just what he was feeling now, and in reply to the only logical thought he had, his body found the answer for him.

Sheena cried out when she felt him, her entire body stiffening at the sudden intrusion. Gasping loudly, her eyes clenched shut and she grit her teeth, hissing in pain. He stopped all movement immediately, and she could hear him groaning in anguish at the torture that caused for him.

"Sheena..." Despite the force it was taking to restrain himself, Lloyd pulled away, staring down into her face. She had bitten her lower lip so hard it had begun to bleed, and in her eyes he could see the faintest sign of tears. Filled with a loathing he never knew he could feel, he gently kissed away the tear, whispering against her skin, "I'm sorry Sheena..."

"It's... okay..." Sheena managed shakily, making an effort to keep her eyes closed. She wasn't sure she could bear to see the apology she knew would shine in his expression. He was staying painfully still inside of her, waiting for her to adjust to him and she was grateful for his kindness. 'Martel... You've honestly blessed me.' Breathing shakily as she tried to get used to this new feeling, she pried open her eyes, surprised to see his face so close to hers. "Lloyd...?"

"I... I think... No, I_ can_ stop." The words burned like bile as he spoke them, his entire body was already mourning the thought of pulling away from her. It didn't just feel pleasurable, it felt right. This was something he had never expected to feel in his entire life, a completion that was so strange but so welcoming at the same time. He knew he was hurting her and the thought was enough to cause his soul to quiver in agony. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Just... Just give me a second..." She whispered back, knowing what pain she was feeling would soon enough vanish if she gave it enough time. She was surprised, she had learned enough from the fellow ninja in Mizuho about the pain of losing virginity, she hadn't expected it to be so fierce after such a pleasurable build-up. He stayed absolutely still on top of her, his breathing ragged against her neck. Every moment of pain for her was the exact same for him, this she knew and regretted as she waited for her body to adjust.

The pain began to fade, slowly, but enough for the summoner to try to move. It was a ginger and slow motion, but it was enough to bring back the fire that both warriors had assumed to be extinguished. Gasping out loud in the wonder, she felt rather than heard Lloyd's muffled groan of pleasure as the throbbing returned in full force.

She didn't need to tell him she was okay, he already knew the moment her lips found his again for a tender kiss. Neither of them really knew who began to reply to the old as time rhythm, but it didn't matter. His hands were steady as they held her by the small of her back, pulling her close as his hips moved against her own.

"Lloyd." His name escaped her mouth in a full-throated moan of pleasure that she couldn't contain, her body straining to keep the beat in sync as it began to grow more frantic. A tightness was growing in her stomach in sync with each of his thrusts, threatening to pull her over the edge and into the abyss. "Lloyd!"

"Sheena..." He replied in what could have very well been mistaken as an animal's snarl, his eyes closed tightly as he buried his face in her neck. Each time she shuddered against him and bucked her body in time with his, he could feel his restraint growing thinner, demanding a full out ferocity that he was too scared to release.

There was something demonic in his chest that frightened him, something that had been stirring in him for much too long. He wasn't even sure when it had begun, it could have been the moment he first saw her, or maybe sometime later, but it didn't matter. The hunger was loud and it fought his consciousness every moment he spent with her.

She cried out his name in the empty room, clinging tightly to him, straining against him in a way he had never felt before and he relished the feeling. This was beyond pleasure, it was pure ecstasy. He snapped, giving way to that strange hunger, crying out in return as the tightness increased in his entire body.

"Oh my g–" Sheena couldn't even finish, throwing her head back against the soft mattress, concentrating on nothing but the fire that was raging inside of her chest. His lips were everywhere, on hers, her neck, her shoulder, she could barely tell which way was up. Barely remembering to take hitched breaths between their fevered kisses, she was well aware of something preparing to break as the pleasure continued to spiral higher and tighter.

It exploded in a much more violent way than either had expected, drawing a shout from the swordsman and a scream from the ninja. Sheena moaned softly as her tense body melted back into the bed, barely able to feel anything but the shivers of pleasure that lazily moved up and down her spine. Lloyd collapsed beside her, panting into her hair, clutching her close with one arm as his left hand pulled at the covers to wrap their entwined bodies in them.

"That... was the best thing... ever." Sheena laughed weakly, nuzzling against Lloyd's neck as he chuckled against her ear. He gingerly rolled over onto his back with a quiet groan, feeling her cuddle into his side, resting her head into the crook of his shoulder as though she belonged there. "Wow..."

"Wow." Lloyd agreed wearily, closing his eyes lazily and taking in a long breath. She was shivering as he held her close, but the dreamy smile she wore told him all was just well. Breathing in the floral scent of her hair, he kissed her temple absently and muttered, "Damn... That felt... amazing..."

"Mmm." Sheena purred her agreement, the bliss now effectively clouding her mind and making rational thought a thing of the past. His arms were tight and protective around her, and he was absently pressing kisses to whatever part of her he could reach, and she felt intensely satisfied. 'I could die happily, right here, right now... I've never felt this content in my entire life...'

"Sheena...?"

"Mm... Yes, Lloyd...?"

"I love you..."

"I love you too..."

The whispered words were the last thing she heard as she happily slid into a blissful sleep, content to visit the world of dreams after such a wonderful experience. Lloyd however stayed awake, relaxing himself as she slept, content to watch her. He ran a hand through her hair, the fading glow from the firelight barely enough to catch the violet hues in her dark hair. 'She looks beautiful with her hair down... I wonder why she doesn't wear it like that more often...?'

"_You're my soulmate, Lloyd."_

He sat up slowly, making sure to move slowly so she wouldn't wake up. She looked exhausted but oddly happy, her mouth curved into a grin that made him feel arrogantly proud. She was curled under the beds in a very pleasing way, and he lazily ran a hand over the sheets that hid her bare body from his gaze.

Carefully, he pulled at the sheet that hid her feet, leaning over to study the wound she had received only a short while ago. The livid red wound that he had remembered seeing after her battle at the coliseum was gone, in its place was a thinner band of dark flesh, the only reminder of the painful injury that had been there.

He could still see the tree's whip-like root surging up from the abyss, wrapping itself around her leg and dragging her over the edge. The memory had burned itself into his mind and refused to be forgotten, warning him of how devastatingly close he had gotten to losing her.

She'd smiled at him, through the scratches and dirt on her face, through the pain the pressure of the root was pulling at her, she'd grinned at him. There was no lie in her face, just a raw emotion that he hadn't understood then. She'd told him so nonchalantly to leave her behind, as if it was nothing to her. As if she couldn't care less if her life was truly coming to any end.

"_Don't worry about me. Just hurry up and go rescue Colette."_

"How could I not worry about you?" Lloyd asked her softly, running his fingertips over the scar, hating himself as the memory of her pained grimace flashed like lightning in his head. "I _always_ worry about you..." Tugging the blanket back over her, he settled back into the bed and kissed her on the mouth gently, so not to wake her. She smiled slightly in her sleep, murmuring contentedly as she automatically made to snuggle closer into his arms.

"I... I thought I was going to die without you back there... Losing everyone was so hard, but losing _you_... I didn't know if I could keep going." He whispered to his sleeping lover, tenderly brushing her messy hair back into place, running a finger over her cheek and mouth, content to watch her sleep. Even though she couldn't hear him, he couldn't stop the words from flowing past his lips. "When I saw you back in Yggdrasil's room, grinning at me like nothing had happened... I was so happy... If you hadn't come back... I don't know if I could have kept on living... You're my everything, my reason to exist... Hell, half the time now I keep thinking you're the entire reason I was _born_..."

"_I want to understand everything about you Sheena, everything. When you're sad, when you feel troubled... I want to know what's going on because I want to help you. I care about you Sheena, more than I've ever cared about anyone. I need you to be okay because if you're not... I... I don't know what I'd do with myself."_

"Sleep well Sheena..." Lloyd whispered into her ear, tracing her spine with one finger as he relaxed into the sheets. She moved to rest herself against his chest with a happy sigh, eyes still closed and a blissful smile lifting her lips. 'She looks so more at ease then I've ever seen her... Martel, how stupid am I...?'

"_Great... Friends..."_

'I will always love you.'

* * *

"Are you surprised?"

Raine didn't look up at the sound of his voice, but the duke did see the way her lips quirked into the faintest hints of a smile. Brushing her bangs from her hair as she adjusted her seating calmly, the half-elven woman couldn't hide her satisfaction in the fact that two of her companions had failed to return to the mansion. "No."

Regal smiled in response to her negative answer, watching the way her eyes nearly sparkled in hidden amusement. She was nearly laughing, but out of an ironclad self-control, she managed to keep her body ramrod straight and still. Chuckling very softly to himself, he leaned back against the couch and admitted aloud, "I'm surprised, I didn't expect them to make the leap from friends to lovers quite so quickly, but then again, it's been nearly a year since you began travelling, has it not?"

"Yes, and we met Sheena quite early on in our travels, so..." Raine shook her head, forcing the giggle that was growing in her throat down. As a professor, she felt rather outraged on Lloyd's behalf, though she knew full well that he was old enough to make any and all of his decisions on his own without her guidance. As herself on the other hand... She was proud. Outlandishly proud of both herself and the ninja she had been coming to view as a strange mix of a daughter and sister. "I shouldn't say anything at all about this, we have no idea if they truly made the leap or not last night, that is pure conjecture on our part and on top of that, we have no reason to jump to conclusions."

"You do realize you're deliberately trying to pull the wool over your eyes, do you not?" Regal questioned with a faint grin, watching the half-elf allow herself a brief chortle. He chuckled too, knowing that after what they had both walked in on at the royal garden, it wasn't anything short of time that was stopping the two warriors from making the physical seal between themselves. "All joking aside however... I do think it's a good thing."

"As do I, it's honestly about time." Raine remarked with a simple smile, smoothing out an invisible crease in her robe. She could still see the determination in the ninja's jaw when she had been rescued in the tower, the tears of happiness that she'd hidden from the rest of the party when she saw Lloyd alive and well in the final room. She could also see the anger in Lloyd's face when they had silently left Sheena behind at Tower of Mana so she could head towards the cannon, the sheer relief on his face when she had returned safely to Iselia. "There is nothing but love between them. The fact that they've realized it and possibly consummated it is something to celebrate."

"You don't think they're too young?" Regal questioned with one raised eyebrow, though his mouth still threatened to quirk into a smile. She had always treated her students as if they were children, _her_ children, and he doubted the motherly side that she rarely showed was pleased with the loss of innocence on both of their parts.

Raine smiled to herself, understanding Regal's gentle prodding. Part of her agreed, but she had long since known that his innocence had left him early on in the journey. "I don't think they are... When you think about it, all of us are much older than we should be at our respective ages." Noting Regal's confused gaze, she continued quietly, "Think about it... Compare someone at Genis' age with the boy himself.. Who is more like an adult? We have lost our innocence, our childlike virtue at too young of an age, all of us..."

"I see." Regal nodded, watching her smile wearily, tilting her head back so she was now staring silently up at the ceiling. Her expression was thoughtful but saddened, and immediately disliking it, he closed the distance between them and gently set his shackled hands on top of hers. "Raine..."

"I'm alright Regal, thank you for your concern... I guess I'm just mourning for them in my own quiet way." Raine smiled gently at his worried gesture, but she returned it by slipping her hands between his. His palms felt warm against her cool skin, and she enjoyed the feeling more fiercely than she would have liked to admit. "We're all human... Well, in a matter of speaking anyway. Primal urges are part of our genetic makeup, if we deny it, we're denying what we are. So I won't speak anymore of the matter for their sakes. I will request that the rest of the party remains silent as well."

"I'd normally advise you to have a serious chat with Zelos, but he seems to have settled down as of late." Regal commented with a slight smile, watching as Raine grinned outright as though he'd just handed her deed to the ruins of Triet. Settling himself lazily into the couch, he was very aware of the half-elf shuffling close to him until she was nearly leaning on his shoulder. "I believe it may very well be Colette who is softening his behaviour. He has been taking much more precaution with the jokes he makes, especially when he is near her."

"It could very well be... She's been acting quite nervous around him, which is oddly cute when I look at it." Raine admitted with a sheepish smile, though her eyes were twinkling once again with amusement. "She never acted that way with Lloyd, the poor thing turns bright red the moment he puts a hand on her, which he doesn't do often mind you... It doesn't look like he wants to treat her the way he's treated every other 'fan' of his, which is... I guess, gratifying when I think about it."

"Yes, the Chosen doesn't deserve to be tossed aside like any of the others..." Regal mused with a nod, though at Raine's cocked eyebrow he immediately realized his blunder. Hasty to recover, he added awkwardly in spite of her quiet laughter, "Not meaning that they deserve such treatment either of course!"

"Of course... It could very well be that Zelos realizes she cares about him _despite_ of what he is." Raine suggested curiously, crossing her leg over her other, glancing thoughtfully at her companion. The man shrugged, waiting for her to finish her thought, which she did without a moment's pause. "He's so used to someone wanting him because he is 'the Chosen' ... Colette is not nearly that superficial. If she does, which I suspect, love him, she does so because he simply is who he is. That may very well be a shock to him, but it must be something he enjoys if he's returning her affection like he is."

"Yes... It's a good thing." Regal agreed with a nod, casting a glance over his shoulder as though he was worried someone could be listening in on their conversation. Continuing calmly, though he was grinning to himself, he asked, "How about Genis and Presea...? They seem to be getting along quite well also, it may be in the air."

"Perhaps." Raine smiled at Regal's casual reference of her younger brother, but she knew he meant to draw attention to him. Resolving to keep as levelheaded at possible just to toy with him, she made a show of thinking. It was true, she had seen Genis working spectacularly hard to save up his Gald in intentions to buy something for Presea to make up for the hand-carven charm the hunter had given him. Only yesterday she had seen the fruits of his labour, a small but amazingly intricate paw-pad bracelet dangling around the girl's wrist. "He cares deeply for her... But I'm afraid he's scared that she, like everyone else he's known, will reject him because of his elven blood... Presea doesn't seem to care much for the racial quarrels, so I doubt it will be a problem, yet... Genis has become incredibly sensitive to rejection, especially after Heimdall... I don't blame him, but I fear for him."

Regal frowned, her worry for her brother wasn't just apparent in her tone, it showed in her body as well. She bit her lower lip and cast her gaze to her knees, her eyes dark with concern and the mix of maternal and sibling love she carried for every single one of the party. Moving close, he ducked his head and pressed his mouth against her hair in what he hoped was a caring gesture.

"Thank you Regal... I'm afraid I needed that more than words." Raine thanked him quietly, freeing one of her hands from his grip to brush it over her face. He immediately retrieved it, much to her hidden delight, and she turned her head slightly to glance hopefully at him.

Regal read the subtle sign, and obeyed her unspoken want immediately. Her hand was loose as it curled around his collar, pulling him down so his lips met her own. This kiss was different than the previous ones, neither the duke or the professor were content with the chaste touches now.

She slipped into the narrow space between his handcuffs and his chest, hands splayed flat on his shoulders as she parted her lips for him in quiet sign of surrender. He made quick work of trapping her in his arms, replying into the embrace with a ferocity that surprised them both. By the time he lifted his head to regain his air, she was panting for breath, having somehow wound up with her arms around his shoulders, robe halfway undone and hair ruffled.

"Regal..." Raine whispered softly, completely stunned by how far a simple kiss had taken them. She understood lust and its affects on the body, but she had never felt it so intensely. Her blood was on fire, and the only rational thought she had wasn't suitable considering both of them were in someone else's home.

"I... I'm sorry..." Regal muttered back gruffly, taking a deep breath in a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure building in his lower body. She had straddled him during the kiss, her fingers doing magical work on the back of his neck as he tasted her sweetness for the first time. He hadn't felt this strongly stirred in quite some time, the feelings he had sworn would forever lay dormant were now surging through him and he had underestimated the power they carried.

"I... I should move..." Raine suggested half-heartedly, though she really didn't want to leave his embrace. He nodded but his face was heavy with regret as he raised his arms to allow her to escape. She only made it off of his lap, unable to draw away from him entirely, the magnetic pull too strong for her to ignore. Breathless but still happy, she fixed the zipper of her robe and murmured a soft, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that... I was foolish..."

"N-No... This has... This has been meaning to happen I think, for quite some time." Regal began hesitantly, reaching into himself to find the answer he had been too scared to seek. He didn't know when it had started, but he knew that he had only begun to act on his emotions quite recently. 'Perhaps it was just time...' "For things to speed so quickly, it is not uncommon and you said it yourself just a few short moments ago..." He couldn't stop himself this time, he reached out to tenderly brush his fingertips against her reddened cheek, watching with a strange smugness as she closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. "We are all human. To deny our needs would be to deny who we are."

"Yes..." Raine sighed, opening her eyes to see his tender smile. It made her heart race and her blood warm again, but this time not with simple lust. She knew well the difference between a carnal want and a desire made up of an affection, and hers was definitely the latter. 'I've come to love him, stupid me... What do I get myself into?' Desperate to cover up the severity of her emotional turmoil, she quipped, "Are there any legends about Meltokio being a city for lovers?"

Regal paused, caught off guard by the sudden, and rather awkward, joke. She was blushing something fierce, but there was a certain desperation in her tone that made him stop from asking what had brought on the change of topic. Nodding, he decided to play along with her. Her words were right enough, the city did truly seem to have an atmosphere for couples. Since they had entered the city the eight of them had promptly and continuously split into pairs. "It seems to have had a profound affect on our party... However, I'm not too sure if there is a legend like that in Meltokio." Regal pretended to look contemplative, but the moment he glanced over at Raine the moment was lost. She started laughing first, hiding her face in his shoulder to stifle her embarrassed and that only made him break down in quiet chuckles of his own.

"Aren't we a sorry sight to behold?"

"Perhaps..."

* * *

Sheena woke to a quiet humming sound coming from beneath her, coupled with a soft rubbing sensation on the small of her back, ticklish, but not enough to make her move away. Blinking sleepily, she made to stretch her arms but a weight around her waist stopped her from moving. Confused and still half asleep, she opened her eyes all the way and looked up.

"Good morning."

The first thing she saw were a pair of gentle adust eyes staring down at her, and the memory of what had occurred last night came back to her in a rush. The first thing she felt was shock, and it froze her entire body as she took stock of where she was. She was lying on Lloyd, having been using his chest as a pillow, their legs still oddly enough entwined underneath the blankets. His left arm was tight around her waist, his right hand was lazily drawing circles into the small of her back through the sheets.

After the shock came embarrassment, but that faded quickly enough when Lloyd leaned down to brush his lips tenderly against her hair. He took it so naturally, she felt calm almost immediately and dropped her head back down onto her hands. She felt him chuckle, continuing his lazy ministrations, and she replied softly, "Morning..."

"You looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart to wake you." Lloyd teased gently, stifling a yawn with his right hand, wincing at the soft pain the movement caused him. His entire body was sore and stiff, something he guessed as a tribute to their actions from the previous night. She seemed to have realized that too, and with a muffled grunt of annoyance, she buried her face in his ribs and refused to look up. "Heh... I think it's our bodies' way of telling us we were too busy last night..."

"Practise makes perfect?" Sheena offered, the words slipping from her mouth before she had a chance to filter through her thoughts. Lloyd laughed outright, but the sly way he set his mouth told her he was interested, and that only made her smile in return. Though she was aching as badly as he probably was, she didn't deny that he still stirred desire in her with a simple glance. Pulling the sheets around herself, she sat up gingerly and leaned on his chest, enjoying the way he automatically wrapped his arms around her to pull her close. "Mm..."

"I could really get used to waking up next to you every morning." Lloyd told her truthfully, kissing the crown of her hair. She smiled against his shoulder, and with a contented sigh the swordsman closed his eyes and relaxed. The sun shining from the window was warm, and he could hear the faint sounds of birds singing their mornsong outside. It just felt perfect. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine... I'm still tired actually." Sheena admitted sheepishly, running a hand over her face, stretching her aching muscles until they begged for mercy. Still holding the covers around herself, she winked at Lloyd and told him cheerfully, "Sore as hell too. I'm going to take a shower, I'll be right back."

Lloyd sat up to catch her, but she moved too quickly, snatching the covers and taking off with a girlish bout of a laughter as she disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. Laughing quietly at her antics, he managed to recover his pants before the chill of the room caught him. He could hear the water running, and when he closed his eyes, his mind almost immediately began to torture him with images he'd never had before.

'Ah... Damn... This is why Zelos talks about it so much...? I almost get his obsession...' Lloyd moaned inwardly, covering his face with his hands, willing the mental images to leave him. As soon as they did, they were replaced with his memories of last night, which was almost as worse. 'Dammit!'

Inside the bathroom, the ninja was having similar trouble, though she was combatting it with more ease than he. The water exceptionally cold, Sheena let it cool her hot body and waited patiently until her tense muscles began to relax too. Eyes closed, she let out a quiet sigh, tilting her face up to let the spray wash over her. 'Ughn...' "Oh, Lloyd... What the hell have you done to me?"

She waited until her body had adjusted to the icy temperature before turning the faucet back to warm, letting out a full-throated sigh of contentment. The cold had eased the tension, and the warm water now melted it away, leaving her fully relaxed and at ease in the tiny stall. Making quick work of washing herself clean, she had no desire to be away from Lloyd for any amount of time, she hastily grabbed a towel and fled back to the room, still dripping water.

The moment Lloyd saw her, his mind made itself up at the roar of hunger his body responded with. Her hair was wet and slick against her face, droplets of water still making their way down her bare legs that he barely could tear his eyes away from. 'Screw this.' Knowing he had no chance of focussing until he got what his body was demanding, he simply swept the ninja back into his arms and made for the shower with her.

By the time the two finished, the water had turned cold but neither of them really found it to be much of a problem. Drying each other between gentle kisses, they somehow fumbled their way back to the bed, collapsing onto it with a muffled grunt and giggle. Sheena was quick to once again regain her position on top of him, settling herself with a purr into his arms, resting her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat.

"I'm having a lot of trouble keeping my hands to myself when you're around, is that normal?" Lloyd asked her absently, his eyes closed and body completely relaxed as Sheena let her hands wander over his torso with gentle intents.

"I've never had this kind of relationship with anyone before, so I can't answer you honestly." Sheena replied truthfully, not totally bothered by the fact. Her dreams were finally a reality, something she had been making a job of praying for almost every night. 'As Grandpa once told me, "Don't knock a blessing", and I won't...' Her entire body was constantly on the verge of melting every time he put his hands on her, and she wouldn't complain about that either. Besides the physical euphoria he was quite capable of giving her, he had given her something else she had never experienced but always craved. Love.

"Oh well... It's... nice." Lloyd managed sheepishly, wishing he wasn't so clumsy with his words. 'It's so much more than nice...' Her smile was enough to make him want her all over again, but more than that, it made him content. 'I'd give my arm to make her smile, I like it that much...' With a little smile, he watched as she began to draw patterns on his stomach with her index finger, smirking when he laughed a bit at the ticklish feeling.

He paused as his thoughts began to wander, leaving him feeling strangely empty. He had never been one to give much thought to the what ifs of the future, it was much more fulfilling to live in the moment and work hard. Doubt had begun to filter in however, causing him to pause and think. 'But... After... If we defeat Mithos in the end and rejoin our worlds...' "Sheena...?"

"Yeah?" Sheena looked up from her drawing almost immediately, her smile fading when she saw the serious set to his jaw. Concerned, she propped herself up and scuttled a bit closer, reaching out to gently touch his cheek. Her voice quiet and worried, she asked softly, "Lloyd, what's wrong...?"

Lloyd sat up sharply, surprising the ninja he had been holding but he caught her before she had a chance to try and move away. Pulling her into his arms, he buried his face in her hair and muttered, "I don't want to lose you." She froze, and he sensed her confusion and continued weakly, "I love you. I want you to be with me forever, after this whole thing is over and we save the two worlds, I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too Lloyd." Sheena answered him immediately though somewhat slowly, unsure of what had brought on the sudden change of mood. She didn't try to move herself from his embrace, instead she wound her arms around his waist and held on tight. 'I never want to be away from you, you idiot...'

"After this thing is over..." He took a deep breath, desperate to settle his destroyed nerves so he would make sense to her. He knew it seemed completely like a different track of thought, but they wound together more intimately than he had even guessed when he first came up with the plan weeks ago. His hands gentle as they moved to settle on her shoulders, he drew away so he could look into her concerned topaz eyes. Quietly and seriously, he explained, "I want to go and get all of the Exspheres left in the world, to stop them from ever being drawn into a stupid conflict like this ever again. I want you to come with me, to stay with me even after I do that. I _need_ you to be with me, I love you."

Sheena opened her mouth immediately to give her consent, but her mouth snapped shut a second later as the painful realization of what was holding her back hit her head on. 'Mizuho... Grandpa...' Wincing, she bit her lower lip and began to think. 'I'm not ready to be the chief just yet... Grandpa is awake now, and he's doing well... Asking him to keep at it while I go around the world with Lloyd and help him collect Exspheres... That doesn't seem like such a bad idea... I... I want to be with him too... I _need_ him...' She took a deep breath, reading the uncertainty and the desperation that had once been her eyes for so long. 'I couldn't say no to those eyes.' "I love you too Lloyd... I'll come with you, I'll stay with you. There's no way you could keep me away."

Lloyd felt himself laugh shakily as he tugged her back into his arms, and he was aware of a single tear becoming free and trickling down his face. His desire for her had become something stronger, more fierce, it held him to her unlike anything he had ever felt in his entire life. The physical wasn't just pleasure, it was ecstasy, his attraction wasn't just love, it was devotion acute to pain. She had become his entire world in just a few short days of transformation, but he didn't really care. All that mattered was her being by his side, in his arms, and most importantly, in his soul.

She felt the tear fall onto her shoulder, but she couldn't make herself pull away from him. She could sense how much he needed the embrace, and she held him tight. She had long since learned to just live with the angry yearning that drew her to the swordsman, the attraction that had early turned into a white hot blade of love. Everything about him only made her care about him more, which she didn't mind. 'Even though it killed me, I wished him all the happiness without me... Now it's my happiness with him...'

They didn't know how much time they spent sitting there, holding each other close and not speaking. When he finally pulled away, she glanced up at him worriedly but he smiled gently and touched her on the cheek in a reassuring gesture. With a little smile, she slipped from his arms but took a hold of his hand, asking gently, "Shall we get going back to the others? I'm sure they're worried about us not coming back, that _if_ they noticed we were gone."

"Touche... But sure, we ought to head back..." Lloyd paused with a little smile as she made to get up from the bed, keeping a firm hold on her hand to prevent that. Grinning cheekily at her confused expression, he tugged her close and whispered suggestively into her ear, "But how about we keep the hotel room for the next two nights anyway...? It'd be more fun for us."

Sheena nearly pounced on him, fully prepared to show him exactly how delighted she was at the suggestion. However, by sheer force of will, and many years of Mizuho training, she managed to just flash him a grin as an answer before escaping his hold to dress.

After booking the room again, they left the hotel holding hands, smiling and talking gently as though the world around them didn't exist. Sheena remembered looking on jealously at the couples she spotted everywhere, but those feelings were gone now. She was now the one being shot resigned glances that she didn't notice, too happy to be near the one person who made her feel the way she did.

"What do you think we should tell the others about us?" Lloyd asked as casually as he could, though inwardly he was slightly embarrassed. He could already see where the heat would possibly come from once they made a 'formal' announcement of their relationship. 'Zelos won't shut up about it, I know that much... Professor Sage... I don't even want to know what the professor will do to me...'

"I don't know, half the time I think they already know." Sheena answered with a mild shrug, walking closer until their shoulders were brushing. He got the hint and wound his arm around her waist, kissing her smartly on the cheek when she gently elbowed him. Thoughtfully, the summoner continued, "Though I guess if you told Zelos he might finally leave me alone..."

"Another reason why you're sleeping in the hotel with me tonight." Lloyd answered firmly, unable to help the surge of anger that filled him at the mere mention of the redheaded Chosen. Before his many attempts to woo Sheena had gone largely unnoticed, but the swordsman doubted he could let them pass now. It seemed much too close to a personal insult to let the man get anywhere near her now. "If he snuck into your room, I'd break his legs."

Sheena grinned, imagining what Zelos' reaction would be if he caught her only to be thoroughly trounced by her lover. She had to admit it was quite pleasing, in strange, sadistic sort of way. Kissing him gently on the cheek, she explained pleasantly, "Well, if it comes to that, he knows some healing spells, so don't worry about going easy on him."

Lloyd couldn't help himself, he grinned back at her and gave her a short squeeze to express his delight to her words. By the time they reached the mansion, both were genuinely disappointed that the walk had taken such a short time. The swordsman made a point of opening the door for her, which she accepted with a small shake of her head and laugh. "You're hopeless..."

"Really, I thought I was getting better." Lloyd teased, letting go of the door and giving chase to her. They only made it into the front hall before they stopped, caught by the youngest members of the group.

"Oh, Lloyd and Sheena, I'm glad you're both back." Presea welcomed them with a nod, glancing back down towards her pack. She idly fastened the strap to close it before getting back to her feet, looking at Genis who had been watching her progress. "I think we're set to go see Noishe again, the food you cooked is now safely stored inside my pack."

"Alright." Genis grinned at her barely noticeable excitement, but in the short while he had known her, he had become remarkable adept in reading her rarely shown emotion. He turned to the surprised twosome at the door, and immediately noticed the way Lloyd's arms were wound around her waist and she was making no attempt to shake him off. 'Ah...' "Hey you two, glad to see you're good. Raine was worried that you two wouldn't find a room at an inn."

"We found one." Lloyd answered casually, though there was a heat rising in his face as he tried to keep his voice as normal as possible. Sheena couldn't look up from the floor, her cheeks pinking unconsciously. Coughing once to try and banish the feeling, he continued, "You two heading off to play with Noishe again?"

"Yes, we also are bringing him some food so he wouldn't have to forage." Presea explained, nodding towards Genis who was smiling awkwardly at her. Somewhat pleased by the redness in his face, she continued in a matter-of-fact tone, "Genis cooked, he also offered to show me some of his recipes so I may try my hand at it. My skill at cooking needs improvement, I am grateful for his aid."

Sheena couldn't contain her smile at Genis' obvious embarrassment to the hunter's eager tone. She had seen how he had attempted many times, and rather clumsily, as he tried to show the pink-haired girl how much he cared for her. She was glad he was getting some reward after all of his hard work. "I see. Well you two have fun and tell Noishe I said hi, i feel bad for not visiting him."

"We've been keeping him company, it's okay. But I'll give him the message." Genis chuckled at Sheena's kind words, turning his head to glance at the impatient Presea. She was smiling slightly but he could tell by how she continuously running her fingers over the straps on her shoulder that she was ready to go. "C'mon Presea, let's go see him."

"Yes."

The two were gone before Lloyd managed to say a farewell, but Sheena pulled him away from the door even as he tried to follow. Grumbling quietly over the injustice, he only perked up when the exasperated ninja kissed him on the cheek. Smiling as though his birthday had come early, his arm wound tightly around her waist and he nuzzled into her neck until she giggled for mercy.

"Will I ever get to win with you?" Sheena asked through laughter, swatting half-heartedly at his wandering hands. They had made it to the couch and had sat down, but he seemed content to touch her. As happy as she was to feel his hands roaming, there was a time and place. 'This is so bad but I don't want him to stop... I like it way too much...'

"Speaking as the Chief, you always win against me. I'm just one of Regal's attendants." Lloyd pointed out rather cheerfully, laughing as she playfully punched him in the chest. Pretending to be wounded, he grabbed at where she had hit him, groaning in fake pain, "Ah, you got me... That's so no fair Chief, I can't hit a woman..."

"Stop joking around." Sheena gave him a light clip on the ear, though her smile couldn't be dimmed. His arm was still tight around her, and she enjoyed the feel of being trapped in his embrace. Laughing when he set his chin on top of her hair, she attempted to wriggle out of his hold but he held on tight. "Am I going to be released anytime today?"

"Probably not... I'm enjoying this." Lloyd replied smoothly, kissing the top of her hair and plucking gently at the pink ribbon with his free hand. She settled quite comfortably in his lap, and stayed perfectly still as he toyed with her ribbon. "Why don't you wear your hair down more often? It looks nice..."

"It gets in the way I guess, I'm used to wearing it up." Sheena answered with a little shrug, feeling his fingertips stroking the back of her neck underneath the ponytail. Smiling contentedly at the pleasant sensation, she asked quietly, "Do you want me to wear my hair down? I could if you'd like..."

"Nah, just wondered... Besides, if you wore it down that means everyone gets to see it." Lloyd continued with a little shrug, enjoying the knowledge of the words. He didn't like the idea of the others, especially any of his male friends, seeing something that he had in private. Though he couldn't see her face, he could she was smiling by the curve of her cheek, and he promptly kissed her. "I like knowing that I get to see stuff the others don't when it comes to you."

"You're jealous." Sheena giggled, poking him in the ribs as she spun in his arms to come face to face with him. He just grinned at her, neither denying or admitting to her claim. Winding her arms loosely around his shoulders, she tugged him close, murmuring against his jaw, "I like seeing things the others won't see too. You're all mine Lloyd."

"And you're all mine Sheena."

**AN**

**I promised myself I wouldn't write at school, but since I had third period Biology and we were doing dissection... I needed something to do XD I already finished my geo ISP, so I had a lot of free time to kill... And I got the ending finished so meh. Martel, lol, is it honestly eleven chapters of Jealousy already? It doesn't seem like I've been working on it for that long. Blahah. Oh well XD, I'm really enjoying myself. But all stories must come to an end, and Jealousy is working its way down that path, lol. I'm going to give it to about chapter 15 probably before I let it come to rest... Then I'll have another poll up asking what you'd like to see as my newest project. And there are quite a few I have in this strange sleeve of mine. **

**Review response time!**

**Lloyd Irving Aurion:** **(dazzled) I've read your work, and I personally have hoped to aspire to you. You're an amazing author and I'm honoured to hear those words from you. Hopefully I did the scene justice, and I sincerely apologize if I haven't.**

**Sychotic:**** XD I knew it'd be a fake way out, but it made so much sense to me for there to be no real ending. Though to be honest, there wasn't an ending, but a beginning. Who'd have thought that something as simple as a chess match could blossom into a full blown relationship? Hehe... I'm such a fangirl in all aspects of the awesome word.**

**Illko Skevuld:**** Thanks for saying that, I've never actually tried to do that before, that's a really good idea... (runs off with flashdrive in hand) Thanks for giving me the time to review, I appreciate it!**

**Maurice A. Nigma:**** I don't think I've ever gotten a review that long and that full of praise. You sure do know how to give raise to a girl's deflated and almost nonexistent ego. XD My sincerest thanks in that regard. You may always give me advice, everyone is welcome to it and I appreciate that people take the time to. I took your advice, I'm actually pleased with how it came out, and I hope my other readers are as well. Hehe, I appreciate your kind words and I hope to hear, and see more of your work in the future my friend!**

**Lastly... This chapter is dedicated to one of my newest friends, Li-chan. If I didn't have you kicking me in the butt with your witty reviews and pms, I probably never would have done a smut in my story. XD I'm really grateful for that, I needed it! And yes, I still feel awkward so I guess it means I'm not a full blown pervert, damn is that a relief! (runs off to spread the word) THANK YOU ALL MON AMIS!**

**This has been,**

**Sky**


	12. Second Thoughts and Words

"I'm _not_ going, so shut up about it already!" Sheena yelled at the redheaded male, topaz eyes blazing with fury as her hands shook at her sides. Zelos had already danced away out of her reach, once again taking refuge behind Colette, who this time looked completely mystified by the argument. "There's _no way in hell_ you're going to get me to go to some stupid party!"

"But you _have_ to go, everyone was invited and if you don't show up, it'll look like a direct insult to the royalty of Tethe'alla!" Zelos attempted to wheedle, but it only succeeded in annoying the female further. Peeking over the blond's shoulder, he continued pathetically, "Besides, you're the Chief of Mizuho, do you know how bad that'll make your village look if you just don't show?"

"Successor, I'm not Chief yet!" Sheena corrected him angrily, raising her fist as though she wanted to strike him, but it fell limply to her side when Colette shot her a pleading glance. Cursing under her breath, she glanced hopelessly at Raine, who was busy attempting to hide her laughter to the argument. "Raine, c'mon, help me out here! I don't have to go, do I!?"

"I will not lie to you, I'm not pleased with having to dress up and consort with the high society, but in order to continue our journey as smoothly as possible, we have no choice but to keep our ties and strengthen them if need be." Raine explained in a calm and logical voice, though her disdain was obvious as her hands plucked at the hem of her robe almost unconsciously. "This is a necessary activity that we must all endure."

Sheena groaned in defeat, falling onto the couch and hiding her face in her hands to avoid showing the remaining team members her embarrassment. She was glad it was just her, Colette, Raine, Zelos and Presea, along in the mansion, she didn't want to think about how Lloyd would have reacted. Regal, Genis and most importantly, Lloyd, had left to fetch supplies for the journey to Heimdall that was to take place in only a few days time. Which gave her ample time to try to weasel her way out of the huge party. "I won't go, I just won't..."

"I do not understand Sheena, it is simple a gathering of high society members, isn't it? What is it that is making you protest so strongly?" Presea questioned, raising both eyebrows and looking curiously at the grumpy summoner. The young women said nothing, so she turned her head to Raine and asked aloud, "Are these sort of gatherings unpleasant, Professor Sage?"

"Well, I suppose it would depend on the person to judge if they were unpleasant." Raine answered wryly, though she could easily have told the hunter a lie to make her believe so. The half-elven woman had no desire whatsoever to go anywhere near a dress or anything that remotely resembled one, but her logic, as always, beat out her discomfort. She waved a hand at the basically bouncing Chosen and continued flatly, "Ask him about it, I've never been to something like it, so I'm not much of a help."

"Zelos...?"

"Well, see, they're kinda like huge meetings but instead of getting together to talk about important stuff, the royalty get to schmooze with other high-class society members." Zelos explained cheerfully, jumping over the end of the couch to land between Sheena and Presea. The ninja threw him a dirty look and immediately switched positions to sit next to Raine while Colette promptly took her place. Zelos continued as if he hadn't noticed, "It's basically a time to hang out, gossip, get drunk, eat and meet women. There's nothing truly important about a party but showing up and letting people know you're important enough to have been invited."

"I see, a useless gathering then. Frivolous." Presea confirmed her suspicions aloud, noting that Raine had began to laugh quietly in her hand at her explanation. Not understanding this either, the hunter sighed and asked wearily, "Did I say something wrong Professor? Why are you laughing?"

"I'm laughing because it's true, you hit the nail on the head quite aptly, and I find that to be humorous." Raine explained through her quiet giggles, and she found herself wishing that the duke was here to see the conversation. Waving a hand almost as if to dismiss the thought, she continued wryly, "It _is_ frivolous and rather gaudy, but we were given invitations anyway and it is our duty to go and show the royalty of Tethe'alla that we acknowledge our presence among their class."

"I see, so while you do not like it, we shall go anyway. It doesn't make sense completely, but I understand." Presea turned to Sheena, who was still letting loose curses in a different language under her breath, and cocked her head to the side curiously. Her expression was dangerously angry, but there was something else in her eyes, almost a fear. Once again feeling that odd warm ache she was almost getting used to, the tiny hunter outstretched her hand across the space between them to touch Sheena on the elbow. "Sheena, you still do not look well. Is there any reason in particular you do not wish to attend?"

Zelos opened his mouth instinctively to comment, but he swallowed his words when he felt Colette gently nudge him in the side. Looking at her, she shook her head once, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. Sighing, Zelos closed his mouth and sank back into the couch, his left arm lazily finding its place around the angel's shoulders. She blushed pink but made no move to remove him, instead she shyly leaned closer, muffling a soft giggle.

"I just don't like those things, that's all." Sheena shook off Presea's question, not interested in speaking her real reasons to anyone. She saw Colette tug at Zelos' sleeve and then she whispered something in his ear, and for a moment, she nearly smiled. She had watched with some surprise as the redheaded Chosen had slowly softened his antics, and she had wondered if it had been Colette's doing. Seeing the way they acted together now, she was almost completely certain of it.

"We could make a day out of getting ready though, it'd be so fun!" Colette announced cheerfully, her smile so bright that both Raine and Sheena knew they had little choice but to follow along with whatever her plan was. Turning towards them, nearly bouncing up and down with her growing excitement, she exclaimed, "If we get our outfits early enough we can shop in Meltokio for some other things, then go to the hot springs to soak and relax, then we'll have the rest of the afternoon to get ready! It'd be like a girls' day out!"

Raine saw Sheena's eyes turn to the ceiling as though she was praying, causing the professor to nearly lose her composure and start to laugh uproariously. She wouldn't lie, the idea of spending time with her female companions was enticing, they rarely got the chance even since they had entered Meltokio, but... 'We're all too busy with our partners it seems... Of course that means we'll be away from them...' "I think it's a good idea, we should definitely do it tomorrow, unless there are any objections...?"

"I'll go, it would be... fun." Presea volunteered first, much to her, and everyone else's surprise. She smiled weakly, her face pinking in embarrassment but she nodded once to reassure herself, and them. "I have spent much of this week with Genis, and while his company is pleasurable, I would enjoy spending time with yourself, Sheena and Colette as well."

Sheena felt herself sigh, unconsciously fiddling with her sleeve as she thought of the entire day she would be away from Lloyd. 'That's one day I lose with him... I don't want to go...' When she snuck a peek of her companions however, their smiles broke down her last defence. 'Oi vey... I'm sorry, Lloyd...' "Oh alright, I'll go too... Who knows, it might actually be fun to just be us girls this time, no peeping toms."

Colette nearly squealed in delight, pouncing out from underneath Zelos' arms to wrap her arms snugly around Sheena, giggling happily as she did so. Sheena laughed sheepishly and returned the embrace, ruffling the blond's hair affectionately. "It'll be so fun Sheena, a girl's day out!"

"That leaves me alone with the guys..." Zelos sighed in regret, though when he saw how pleased Colette was over the idea of spending an entire day with her girlfriends, he let himself smile. She took the smallest things and made them something to celebrate. 'Maybe that's why I like her so much...' However, she had glanced at him with wide and shocked eyes, and he immediately realized what she had taken from his words. "It's alright, I'll just bug the heck outta Genis, that'll keep me amused for most of the day."

"Yo, we're back!"

Sheena was on her feet the moment she heard Lloyd's cheerful voice calling from the doorway, and ignoring the snickers from Zelos and Raine, she bolted to the front hallway. He saw her from the doorway and grinned, arms open in an invitation that she immediately took.

Lloyd chuckled, winding his arms tightly around her, burying his face in her neck. She giggled this time, ignoring the laughter from Regal and Genis behind her. Lloyd smiled pleasantly as he drew away, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek before asking warmly, "Did you miss me? I was only gone for a little."

"I missed you." Sheena answered positively, a faint dusting of pink colouring her cheekbones. Lloyd's grin at her answer knew he was pleased with the information, and without hesitation she cuddled close into his arms and muttered, "I don't like being away from you."

"I don't like it either." Lloyd replied truthfully, rolling his eyes when Genis nudged Regal and whispered something to the tall man. Whatever the mage said had both of the males laughing as they left the two in the hallway. Finally alone, Lloyd promptly kissed her properly, the embrace short and sweet. "How are you?"

"I'm good, though I've got something to tell you that might disappoint you." Sheena replied regretfully, watching his face fall immediately. Not liking the saddened expression, she raised a hand to brush her fingers across his lips, waiting for him to smile. It only took a moment and then his mouth quirked, and he pressed a tiny kiss to her fingertips, waiting patiently for her to continue with an explanation. "The girls are heading out for a girl's day out tomorrow to get ready for the party, it's supposed to be fun."

"Fun, huh...? Well, I guess it'll be okay, you girls are tough enough to watch your own backs..." Lloyd pretended to be thoughtful and earned a gentle slug to the stomach. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he grinned cheekily and continued as though nothing had happened. "So, where will you be going off to?"

"Shopping in the city, then a visit to the hot springs... We'll be back in time for the party, but we'll be gone all day..." Sheena confirmed regretfully, watching his face fall slightly in disappointment. She noticed how his arms became just a little tighter around her, as though he was daring the others to attempt to take her away. Smiling just a little at this, she let herself relax against his chest and asked quietly, "You don't want me to go either, huh?"

"Not really." Lloyd admitted sheepishly, watching her smile shyly in return to the words. Absently raising a hand to brush his thumb against her cheek, he muttered unhappily, "I don't want you away from me for any amount of time... But I guess that's just selfish of me, you need to be able to relax with the girls too, right...?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Sheena blushed self-consciously, though she leaned into his hand and sighed quietly to herself. 'It's just for one day, I'll be okay... Won't I?' Loosening her hold on his waist, she took him by the hand to lead him back to the living room where the others were. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

"Ah, alright, so that means I still get you all to myself for tonight." Lloyd remarked slyly but cheerfully, leaning down to nuzzle against her neck as she giggled at his playful actions, trying to swat his wandering hands away. He'd settled for simply holding her by the shoulders when they entered the larger room, taking stock of where his friends were sitting before he flopped into a chair, pulling Sheena down to rest in his lap. The ninja made a little fuss of trying to escape but it only took a gentle kiss to her cheek before she settled.

"So, as I'm sure you know Lloyd, we will be going off on our little 'girl's day out' tomorrow. We will leave in the morning but be back in time for the party at approximately eight p.m that night." Raine explained, shooting a sidelong glance at Colette so her student would know who cooked up the scheme. She smiled slightly when she saw Sheena idly fixing Lloyd's sleeve as though it was her own, the intimacy of the action not lost on the half-elven professor. 'Hm... So we were quite correct...' "Anyway, because we don't want you boys to feel left out, we were wondering if you'd like us to schedule a time when you could visit the hot springs as well."

"That sounds pleasant, would you mind doing that for us Raine?" Regal asked after a quick glance around at the rest of the males, noticing their grins at the idea. Though their last trip to the springs had ended in something quite close to disaster, with the team separated into two, it had a much higher chance of going smoothly.

"Yes of course." Raine nodded, making a mental note of the things she had to do while they would be off. She smiled wryly to herself as she saw the other members of the party joking and laughing with their significant other. 'I wonder how we'll fare being apart for so long...? It will be a first since we came to Meltokio and even then... How close have we all gotten in such a short time...?'

"Well, if that's all, we're gonna get going." Zelos announced, getting to his feet with Colette jumping to her own immediately. Her smile was even brighter than normal, her small hands clutching at Zelos' sleeve as she nearly began to bounce up and down on the spot. "There's this dog show in the centre of the city, figured I'd take the angel to go see it." He noticed Presea swing her head around to face him at the mention of the animals, and with a grin he asked, "You two wanna come too? Sure there's plenty of seats still available."

Presea looked over at Genis, silently requesting his thoughts on the invitation. He was grinning from ear to ear, but not at Zelos, at her, and the simple action sent a rush of that strange warmth through her tiny form. Immediately charged by that strange emotion, she looked at Zelos and asked as calmly as she could manage, "Would we be allowed to... play with the dogs?"

"Pretty sure I could arrange that, it's no fun to just look at them, right?" Zelos replied with a mild shrug, earning two brilliant grins from both Colette and Presea. Presea all but dragged Genis from the couch and out the door, the two Chosens of Mana following behind with loud laughter echoing in their wake.

"I wouldn't be surprised if your little brother did not have his arm by the end of today, Raine." Regal commented with some amusement, watching as Sheena and Lloyd quietly made their exit as well, leaving the two adults alone. Almost as if he could relax now that the younger ones were gone, he leaned back entirely into the couch and asked casually, "So, it seems we have the mansion to ourselves, while the others have seemed to find something else to do. Is there anything you would like to do today?"

"To be honest, not really... I think I've done pretty much all I can do here, which isn't such a bad thing in all hindsight." Raine remarked with a laugh, shaking her hair from her eyes and glancing up at the ceiling to avoid seeing the smile she knew the duke would be wearing. "There's only so many days you can keep yourself busy before you need to relax... How about you, Regal? So far you've just been tagging along with me, isn't there anything you'd like to do?"

Regal shrugged his shoulders, sneaking a sidelong glance at the half-elven professor. She wasn't meeting his eyes, a faint hue if pink colouring her face which left him mildly confused. Turning fully to face her, he couldn't keep the curiosity from his voice when he asked, "Is there something embarrassing you, Raine?"

"H-Huh? Embarrassing? N-No, of course not, whatever gave you that impression?"

Regal felt his mouth twitch, and despite himself, he grinned outright. Raising his hands, he let his fingertips brush casually along her cheekbone, tracing the pink hue from start to finish. Her face reddened further under his touch, something that gave him a very mannish burst of pride. "Well there may be the fact that your face has turned quite an attractive shade of crimson... Also that you are refusing to meet my gaze is yet another clue..."

"I am n-not avoiding anyone's eyes." Raine stammered through the lie, though she knew he could read her as easily as she read any other book. Stubborn to protect her pride, she looked up only to feel his lips pressing gently against her own. Without a thought she pushed back, closing her eyes and allowing the mind-rending sensations to take control as they had been aching to do since the moment he first touched her.

He nearly groaned when her fingers wound themselves in his hair, pulling her body flush against his own as the kiss intensified. Every spot where she touched him burst into flame, and it was all he could do to stop himself from simply tossing her down and having his way with her. She had successfully reawakened urges that had been dormant in his body for what seemed like centuries, and each surge of desire was as if he was experiencing it for the first time.

Raine felt her control slipping from her hands as he tongue lazily entered her mouth, bringing on another wave of pleasure that left her reeling. He had leaned back onto the couch to allow her to slide into his lap, pressing herself as close as possible against his shackled arms. She squirmed slightly as the pleasure began to tighten the muscles of her stomach, and she pulled back for a gasp of air as her chest cried out.

Regal didn't seem to want to pull away, but he made do by breathing in short bursts and lowering his mouth to her neck and brushing aside her hair to have better access to her skin. She let out a sharp gasp of astonishment that left him smirking and continuing with the touches. She stiffened against him, her entire body tensing and that only fuelled him on, eager to see how much she liked what he was doing.

His hot mouth on her skin was driving her crazy, she could barely think, let alone speak coherently. His hands casually were undoing the front of her robe and pulling it away from her shoulders so he could better kiss her, and she was well aware of an alarm bell ringing in the very back of her clouded mind. It whispered something that she couldn't hear in the ringing, couldn't see in the haze of sensation.

His lips were roaming over her neck and jaw, slowly bringing themselves back to hers before they were once again locked in the passionate embrace. Neither of them could tell where the one ended and the other began, too lost in the dizzying exhilaration of lust and love. Her name left him in what could have been nothing but a soft exhale, but her ears were keen and she heard him. "Raine..."

The name, _her _name, froze as it reached her ears. She knew he had spoken to her and not to anyone else, her brain was far too logical to ever make such a simple mistake. The haze lifted as suddenly as it had fell, and the warning bell that had been triggered now screamed in her head. His caress, his words, the heat he had instilled in her, she became numb to them in a moment of frozen clarity.

_Alicia._

She wasn't aware of pushing herself from him so suddenly, all she felt was the stinging pain of her elbow hitting the coffee table as she fell to the ground. She stood too quickly for Regal to help her, and she could feel hot blood trickling from the gash that had opened in her arm. Holding the wound numbly, she gave him her back, not wanting him to see the tears that were forming in her eyes. 'No... No, no, no... No!'

"Raine...?"

"I... I'm sorry... B-But, I... I can't... I can't do this." She heard the clinking sound of his shackles moving as he raised his hands to reach for her, and with more speed than she knew she had, she bolted away from him. He didn't move form where he sat, something she was grateful for as she sped up the stairs, trying to stifle the sobs that ripped at her throat and tore apart her soul.

The door shut behind her, the gentle click was like thunder in the professor's ears and with a ragged sigh she leaned her head back against it. The tears trickled silently down her face, and she laughed bitterly as she raised a hand to clear the tears. She could feel something warm spread on her cheek as she tried to brush the tears away, and in confusion she looked at her hand to see the blood. Droplets of the crimson liquid splattered from her fingertips, having already travelled down the length of her arm underneath her sleeve.

"_I took the life of the one I love. These are the symbol of my crime, as well as my punishment."_

His words had struck her intensely when she stood silently behind the others, watching the scene with numb shock and a mix of disgusting fascination. There had been such devotion in his words, a pure and honest passion that left her both speechless and wanting at the same time. That all flooded back to her now, drilling another hole into her heart that bled guilt. 'I...'

'How can I... ever... be satisfied with making him go back on his word...? He's clung so tightly to his promise for all these years and I... I...' The tears mingled with the blood and she couldn't find the strength to wipe the mixture away, her hands hanging limply at her sides. 'I'm so... disgusting... I can't... I just can't do that to him... He... He means too much to me... I... I love him...'

* * *

"PYRE SEAL!"

Lloyd barely had a moment to regain his feet before Sheena sent him flying into the grass with one well-aimed strike. Landing with a loud gasp, he rolled to the side before she had a chance to attack again and quickly jumped to his feet as she dashed in. The sun was setting behind them, casting an ethereal sort of glow about Meltokio and the surrounding plains as they battled.

Sheena barely managed to hide her grin as she danced out of Lloyd's reach, his wooden swords dangling loosely in his hands as he circled her, trying to find an opening. They had been training for a good few hours already, but their pride refused to let either of them back down. She let him make the next advance, keeping herself on the balls of her feet to move as quickly as possible.

"I hope you're not going easy on me." Lloyd teased as he watched her take her stance, her posture more defensive now that he was to be making the attempts. He circled her slowly, watching as she moved minutely to correct the angle between them. She was a surprisingly good sparring partner, and though he would have preferred to fight Zelos in order to train for Kratos, Sheena's speed and tactics had given him a good place to begin.

Sheena smirked as he circled her, knowing he was teasing to lighten the serious mood. They hadn't spoken much about the upcoming battle, and while it was true they had been rather preoccupied, the winding of the clock was getting dangerously close to them now. She knew he was worried, there were the subtle signs in his normally cheery mood that she picked up on, especially now. He simply refused to talk about what was going on, instead he immersed himself in the trivial in order to get his mind to where it should be.

"DEMON FANG!"

Sheena whirled, pulling her arms tightly to her chest to escape the shockwaves of energy he sent at her with a strong slashing movement. He charged in, catching her off guard and he sword lashed out to catch her in the shoulder. The wooden blade numbed a blow she was certain would have taken her arm off if she hadn't been wearing armour and he had a true blade. Stumbling backwards, her hands tightened on her card and with a muffled grunt she slammed it with all her might into his stomach.

The blow would have knocked Lloyd into the air if he hadn't moved his blade a fraction to the left to absorb the impact. It was enough to send him staggering, but to his surprise she didn't attempt to close the gap between them. Instead she leapt backwards, her left arm hanging rather limply at her side while her right hand moved fluidly into signs that were vaguely familiar.

"I call upon the maiden of the mist..."

He realized what she was doing just a fraction before Undine's energy began to radiate from the summoner's body and with a startled yelp he leapt backwards. He was lucky, the summon spirit appeared in front of him and he could feel the grass below his feet shaking as she willed the water in the ground to shoot up at him. He knew better than to relax when he narrowly avoided the first jet of water, and letting his instincts guide him, he threw himself to the left this time just as another geyser erupted where he had been standing just a moment before.

'He's faster than before, he couldn't dodge Undine the last time we sparred...' Sheena thought with a little smile, watching her swordsman's progress as he literally danced around the several columns of cold water Undine sent after him. She could feel the weariness in her fingers that the summoning had cost her, but she ignored it, focussing hard on Lloyd's movements. Though she had next to no magical skill like the two half-elves she travelled with, she had hoped to use her summoning abilities to make up for it in training with Lloyd.

Though she wasn't entirely sure about it, she had an odd feeling that Kratos meant what he had said before leaving them in the Tower, there would be no mercy this time. He planned to unleash every bit of power he had at his son, whether he hoped to kill him or be defeated, Sheena didn't know. Her teeth grit automatically at the thought, and she could feel the mana welling in her arms as she prepared herself for another summon. 'Dammit Kratos, what are you planning for your only son?'

"Son of a–" Lloyd couldn't finish his curse, distracted by the last geyser that had nearly caught him. He could see the glowing form of Undine disappearing through the wall of water, and even as it rained down on him he was looking around for another surprising enemy. He couldn't see Sheena, and he knew that would only bring more trouble considering she was a ninja in all senses of the word. 'Dammit!'

"GNOME!"

Lloyd felt his stomach drop out from his torso at the call of the name, and he knew there was little escaping the earthquake to follow. "Oh you have got to be–" He was stunned however when a sharp and jagged rock exploded from the ground at his right foot, slashing a hole clean through his left shoulder. Blood sprayed from the wound but he paid no heed to it, ducking down as a second and third rock sprang up in a circular pattern around his feet, intent on slicing him clean through.

"Gnome, I told you–!" Sheena began to growl but her words were lost on the huge spirit looming overhead and she could only watch as Lloyd hit the dirt to escape the attack. She grit her teeth, knowing that unless he was injured he wouldn't take the training seriously, and despite all her faith in him... She was terrified. 'Kratos is skilled with magic and the sword, Lloyd isn't that type of fighter... Martel only knows how much I can help him...'

"TEMPEST!"

She watched with some surprise, and relief, as he flipped over the rocks to freedom, but her relief quickly turned to horror when she saw the blood flowing down his arm. Resisting the urge to curse, she watched Gnome send another devastating round of shudders through the ground, rocking Lloyd off of his feet in time for yet another attack of sharpened stones. She couldn't help it, a startled yelp began in her throat as his name froze on her mouth, and out of instinct she found her feet trying to move forward from her hiding place to go to his aid.

'Move Lloyd, move!'

Lloyd grit his teeth tight as he watched as a stone thrust itself from the ground and moved up, in exactly the same pattern as it had the first time. Moving carefully, he ducked down then swiftly dodged left as another rock burst from underneath his feet, missing him only by a hair's breadth. His sleeve was caked with blood and he was absently aware of the dull throbbing in his shoulder, but he ignored it.

The rocks formed a cage around him and he could hear something shifting beneath his feet, 'Another one...?' Without a second thought he braced his uninjured shoulder in the direction of the wall and began to focus. 'Just gotta break it enough to get out before I get shish-kabobed...' His legs pushed from the ground and he roared like an animal as he spun and slammed his good shoulder into the rocks with incredible force.

It gave way with an ominous crack, and he could feel the ground shudder under his foot as the last rock surged upwards, cutting clean through his belts as he narrowly missed getting impaled. He could feel the light gash the rock had opened in his back, impairing his movement as he ducked forwards and out of range. He could no longer feel the ground moving underneath him, and though he knew it wasn't entirely wise, he let himself relax for a brief second.

'Dammit Sheena, that was rough...' Lloyd chuckled weakly, squeezing the injury to halt the blood flow, knowing he had lost a fair amount already. His fingers felt numb, and with a grimace he flexed them, searching around idly for the woman he had been sparring with. 'Where'd she go...?'

"Are you alright?" Her voice came from behind him, and he barely had time to turn before she embraced him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist while she buried her face in his chest. Surprised but never put off, he hugged her back with his good arm, letting her know he was still there. "I'm sorry.. I didn't know Gnome was going to be such an ass about it..."

"It's okay, I'm fine. A shot of First-Aid and I'll be hacking down trees with this arm again in no time." Lloyd replied with a hearty smile, hoping to see her return it, no matter how weakly. She looked up with an exasperated expression, and smiling he kissed the tip of her nose before ruffling her hair lovingly. "Wanna go visit Raine then?"

"No, I'll bandage it, you can't go into the city bleeding like crazy everywhere." Sheena explained with a vague wave of her hand, indicating he was to sit down. He followed her instructions obediently, shrugging gingerly out of his jacket to let her have a good look at the injury Gnome had inflicted. She made a soft huffing noise under her breath as she found a roll of bandages and a spare gel in her pack, motioning him to come closer.

Lloyd closed his eyes as her hands gently probed his wound, carefully removing any debris from his escape attempt with a surprising tenderness. He made no noise of protest as the gel was applied to his wound even though it stung, and he waited patiently for her to bandage his shoulder. She made quick but efficient work of it, signalling that she was finished by kissing his cheek gently. Smiling ruefully when she examined him, he nodded to his back and explained wryly, "I got cut back there too... Think there's anything you can do?"

"Let me take a look at it and I'll decide from there." Sheena pretended to grumble, though she was smiling when she saw his obviously pleased expression. He took off his shirt entirely, and she let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw the gash. It was thin and small, but enough to require a little attention so it didn't become a bother. Absently fixing the bandage, she commented softly, "I'm sorry about Gnome..."

"Don't apologize, it was a good technique. I saw Kratos do something like that too while we were fighting, did you get Gnome to try it out?" Lloyd asked as casually as possible, but his voice betrayed him by tightening on the name of the man who was his father. Sheena paused her tending, and he grit his teeth angrily at his slip, wishing he could reach and snatch the angel's name back. 'Dammit... She's not supposed to worry about me...'

"You don't talk about him. You haven't said a word about him since we got here." Sheena murmured in a voice barely higher than a whisper, flinching when she saw his muscles tense in his back in response to her words. Swallowing her anxiety and mustering her courage, she finished with the last of the bandage and continued flatly, "I know you're... I know you're worried about fighting him, or else you wouldn't be training so hard... I know you don't want to kill him either. He came to our aid so many times before and after he betrayed us, and despite how much we both hate traitors... He's still your father."

Lloyd was silent for what seemed like forever, wincing at the urge to pull himself away from her warm hands and to walk away by himself. His selfish side was telling him to leave, to abandon the woman who had become such a centrepiece in his life, and though his legs nearly made to lift himself up, he couldn't move. Quietly, almost bitterly, he whispered, "It's... It's hard to imagine him as my... as my dad... The man who put us through so much hell... How could I...? I don't want to be related to him... I can't imagine it..."

"You told Colette before that she is who she is, even if she became an Exsphere. Her parents, her being an angel, everything, it didn't change who she was to you. Who your parents are, what you think of yourself, that means nothing. You're you regardless of who your parents are." Sheena explained in a murmur, gently threading her fingers through his own, glad to see that he didn't wince away from her touch. Shuffling a little closer, she kissed his cheek and continued in a low whisper, trying to fight the jealousy that cooled her blood and made her flinch in true pain, "I'm... I'm envious of you. I... I didn't know my parents... I... When I tried putting myself in your shoes, thinking about if my mother or father betrayed me but still came to my aid... I got really confused. I know where you're coming from, but at the same time, I don't get it at all... I... I wanna understand too, Lloyd... I want to help..."

"Sheena..." Lloyd grunted, pulling her into his arms with one swift tug, ignoring the jolt of pain the movement send from his shoulder. She managed a muffled squeak before he covered her lips with his own, then all he heard a moan of surrender as her fingers curled into his hair and she pulled herself against him. When he lifted his head for air she looked rather dazed, and despite the hunger that lazy smile she was wearing sent through him, he managed to control himself and rest his forehead against hers. "You don't need to do that for me, Sheena... I didn't know you were trying so hard to be in my shoes. I should've talked about it, that's my fault... I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, just tell me what's on your mind, dunce." Sheena answered ruefully, swatting him above the ear in a lovingly exasperated gesture. He held her close, nuzzling into her neck and she allowed herself a moment to relax. His breath was heavy on her skin, and despite herself, it sent shivers of want through her body that were surprisingly difficult to ignore. He allowed her to arrange herself into a more comfortable position in his lap, and softly she explained, "I love you, Lloyd. I want to be there for you when you need someone to talk to and sit with, but you know that already. So please... Just tell me when there's something wrong, alright?"

"...Okay..." He was silent for what seemed like forever, holding her close and listening to her steady breathing. Her mere presence was a strange comfort for him, he felt at ease the second she was near him, even more so when she was curled in his arms the way she was now. Even though the nerves has been in him for what seemed like forever, he couldn't feel the anxiety. It was replaced by a warm headiness that only Sheena could invoke. "I don't know why but it still seems so hard to call him my dad... It's like it hasn't sunk in or anything... I know it probably is true, all of the signs show it, but... How...?"

She listened, not speaking. Though she knew she would probably never truly understand, she tried anyway to replace him and think of how she would feel if she was him. She could sense his confusion and hurt, but on top of that, there was a wanting in his eyes, a longing that was achingly familiar to her. 'He wants his father's recognition...'

"He held back so many times before with me, I know he's stronger than he lets on and I... I don't know if I'm as strong as he is." Lloyd grunted, trying to keep his fury from levelling off to the point where he knew Sheena wouldn't be able to keep him calm. Her hands squeezed his tenderly to let him know she was still there, and he sighed gratefully. Resting his head on her shoulder, he continued wearily, "I know I've improved but... Kratos... He's on another plane than me. I don't know if he's serious about actually... I don't know if he seriously wants me to kill him, I don't even know if I have it in me to actually do it either. He doesn't seem like he's really my father but he still was my companion, I learned a lot from him and I... I did look up to him..."

"You don't have to kill him if you don't want to, forget what he tells you and go by your own instincts." Sheena told him flatly, watching him turn his head to stare at her in confusion. Smiling gently, she raised a hand to touch his cheek then explained in a much more tender tone, "You wouldn't be the Lloyd I loved if you listened to everything everyone told you. You admired Kratos, grudgingly at best, but you still cared enough about him to make this decision difficult, even if he wasn't your father. You need to do what you want to do, and I know you're not a murderer, even in the heat of a battle. If you don't want to kill him, it's simple. You don't. No one will contest what you decide to do."

Lloyd wasn't sure how it happened, but he found himself beginning to laugh and before he knew it, he had let her go to cover his face with a hand. His entire body shook with mirth, and he knew she had to be staring at him like he had lost his mind. Perhaps he had. 'Heheh... Haha!' Knowing he was confusing her but unable to stop himself, he managed to say between laughs, "You're... You're right... I'm sorry, I can't... I can't stop laughing..."

Rolling her eyes fondly, she wound her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss him. He stopped mid-chortle and kissed her back, his hands finding their customary place on her waist to pull her into a better fit. Pulling away before either of them could get any ideas, Sheena smiled and traced the outline of his grin with her index finger. "It's okay you dork..." She glanced up at the sky, taking in where the sun now was, nearly gone behind Meltokio as the night began to creep in on them. Tugging once at his sleeve, a mischievous smile curving her mouth, she asked playfully, "Wanna head on back? The hotel's still booked."

Laughing at her playful smile, he allowed himself a moment to breathe in her heady floral scent before he released her, clambering awkwardly to his feet. She smiled and rose with him, twining her fingers again into his. Smiling back weakly, he kissed her temple then glanced back uneasily at the long distance to Meltokio. "You didn't bring your Rheaird with you, did you? I really don't wanna walk back..."

"Sorry, I didn't..." Sheena laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. She found herself missing Noishe, the playful protozoan had never been far from her, but as of late she had been spending most of her time with his master instead. 'Now I feel bad... But... He has been kept company by Presea, the little thing loves him...' Turning to look at the resigned swordsman at her side, she gently set her hand on his uninjured shoulder and commented wryly, "Looks like we're walking anyway. It'll just be us, it'll be fun."

Lloyd couldn't help but grin when he saw her pleasure at this newfound revelation, and when he looked back at the city he found himself remarking inwardly how much closer it suddenly seemed. 'So is this what's gonna happen when it's just me and her going around the world in search of the Exspheres...? Everything will seem so short...' He chuckled and wound his good arm around her waist, ducking to press a kiss to her hair again. 'I guess this is what happens when you're with the one you love... No amount of time is ever long enough... Maybe it doesn't matter... I have forever if I want it... And I _do_ want it...'

**AN**

**I'M ALIVE! (winces and dodges flying debris) I promise I will never take that long of a vacation ever again. I don't wanna be shot. (sob) Exams are done, school is out, so that means summer vacation and more updates from me XD I planned to have Jealousy finished by the end of June, that one totally went out the window with the writer's block, now didn't it? Gah ha, lol. So yeah... XD No and wouldn't forget the review replies, lol, though this seems like I'm way out of touch with myself, ughn... (Evie: Who's fault is that now...?) Begone evil plot-fairy from hell. Haven't you ruined me enough? (Evie: Nope... We have many years together, meheheh...) See what I do to myself? XD**

**Also, shameless plug-in that I nearly forgot because I'm dumb XD When Jealousy is done, I have several different projects that I may or may not post... I have a poll going on that you can visit at my profile, and I was wondering if there's anything in particular my readers my want to see me do. Don't vote unless you want to, but I'm asking for votes because I honestly have no idea which of my projects I'll be doing XD Figured it'd be best to poll the crowd that actually reads what I do. (constantly stunned that people do read) XD Thanks.**

**Li-Chan:**** Yes, yes it was hard. (Laughs) Thank you though, you made it easier for me, so tis why I dedicated the chapter to you, silly, lol. Yay I gave you an ego boost! XD**

**Lloyd Irving Aurion:**** Am I even doing okay at this point? XD Feels like I haven't written for years, I actually feel dusty. Dusty... Hehe... Thank you though for your kind words, I can't begin to tell you how much they mean to me. I'm glad to have you as a reader.**

**Maurice A. Nigma:**** Once again a long and very kind review, I'm looking forward to them at this point, lol. XD Yeah, despite the smut, there wasn't actually all that much smut. Is that weird...? Hehe, it seems backwards to me, but enough so that it makes me giggle whenever I think or type something about it. I blame my fangirlness that still seems to be stuck in my very young years were sex was something to laugh about with your friends. XD Btw, where is that quote from at the bottom of your review? It seems very familiar, but I'm not sure where... But it seems like something you'd say too XD**

**Sychotic:**** I want to give you an apology for my last two updates, lol, writing through block tends to make everything really messy and I know how badly things turned out in that case. Bleh. I'm hoping that this chapter kinda makes up for the failure of the other two, and if not, I hope there's something I can do to make it up to such a faithful reader like you. I don't like to disappoint, so if there's anything you'd like to see, please don't hesitate to ask, I'm always up for requests!**

**Brave Soul:**** Two questions, lol. One, are you a girl or a boy? And two... Can I PLEASE glomp you? Heehee... You turned me as red as a rose when I read your review, I have to tell you I've never heard something so sweet before. No one's ever called me a goddess in any use of the word, so I kinda had to pinch myself to make sure I was reading properly. And defending me from flamers? That is very sweet of you too, not to mention brave. (Grins) Is that part of your name for a reason? And no... It's not strange to hear someone say that. I know all of my readers simply by how they write their reviews and pms, you can give a lot away simply by your writing style, and I can tell you're a sweet and honest person and that makes me like you already. Your best friend? (Giggles and blushes) Thanks. I'd love to get to know you more, you're welcome to pm me if you'd like, though you don't seem to have a fanfiction account. You're welcome to my email if you'd like too. Thanks again my friend!**

**Okay, ahem... This chapter is dedicated to my new (yet not to new it seems, lol), friend Rayokarna-Blaise aXcess. Thanks a lot for your helpful ear the past bit, I've needed someone to listen and you did it for me even though I'm a ranter. I really appreciate your kindness, so for my thanks, this chapter's all for you. I hope you enjoyed it, my friend!**

**Sky**


	13. Playful Levity

"Ooh... That is so _nice_." Sheena let out a full-throated moan as she slid into the neck-deep water of the hot spring, submerging herself to her chin in the hot water. She could hear the agreeing sounds of contentment from the girls around her, and opening one eye, she grinned as she saw their expressions.

Colette looked as though she had been transported to heaven, her eyes were tightly closed and a huge grin had spread across her creamy features. Her blond hair tied up into a tight bun to stop it from getting wet, she was leaning her head back against the rocks and sighing out loud in sheer ecstasy. "This is wonderful..."

"I agree. I could stay here forever if my body didn't need nourishment." Presea agreed with a tiny smile of her own, shaking her head to feel a slight weight on her pigtails. When she looked, she let out a small giggle when she realized the tips of her hair had turned dark with water. Glancing to her left where Sheena sat, the hunter exchanged a grin with the ninja and commented pleasantly, "It's so much better than walking around the city, that is for certain..."

"Yeah, Meltokio was way too crowded, this is definitely my version of paradise." Sheena laughed out loud, curling her arms around her knees and glancing up at the open sky above them. There wasn't a cloud in sight, the azure blue overhead only dimmed by the heady steam rising off of the hot water. Closing her eyes lazily, she let out a happy sigh of pleasure and let the hot water begin to work its magic on her tense muscles and hardened skin. "I definitely am not getting out of here until I've forgotten how to move my legs..."

"That sounds like a good idea." Colette giggled in agreement glancing down to see her reflection in the crystal clear water. Wiggling her toes, she giggled once more and stretched her arms out in the crisp air of the afternoon. While the temperature had dropped a little in the northern hideaway, the open bath's heat more than made up for it and had given them a perfect slice of paradise to complete their week-long vacation. Feeling slightly impish at the idea, she told Sheena playfully, "Mmm... I might not even leave when the boys get here, hehe..."

Sheena snorted and raised a wet hand to cover her giggles, knowing it would only make her seem worse if she downright cackled with mischief. The idea seemed completely perfect to her, though a smaller voice whispered in her ear how much better it would be if Lloyd was with her. Ignoring the seductive thought and giving into her inner player, she locked eyes with Colette and grinned darkly. "I'm all for mutiny." Colette leaned her head back and giggled even louder than before, prompting the ninja to turn to the smiling Presea and ask pleasantly, "How about you? Think we should send the boys on their way and keep the springs for ourselves?"

While knowing what the proper answer should have been, the little axeman paused on her reply when she saw the mirroring smiles of her two comrades. She knew it wasn't a time for logic and while they both sounded serious enough, she also knew that they were jesting without truly knowing. Smiling in response to this strange knowledge and the welcoming sensation it brought her, she nodded her head slowly and said plainly, "Yes, I agree. I'd rather not leave at all."

Colette grinned broadly at Presea's playful words, and the blond angel promptly abandoned her seat to float over to Presea, hugging the girl. Presea let out a small squeak of embarrassment but she replied almost immediately, yet another thing that made the chosen grin from ear to ear. She had been watching closely at Presea let her cold heart warm and stumble through emotional barriers that no one else had before. 'I'm proud of her accomplishments, she's worked so hard!' "Good, then we all agree that we're not leaving!"

'Not all of us...' Sheena found herself thinking with a small frown, her glee dimming as the empty place in their threesome seemed to grow in her eyes. She had noticed the change in Raine's demeanour from the moment she'd saw her that morning, there was a weary look to her face, a pain that she was trying to fight on her own. She had barely spoken, let alone smiled on their entire outing, even the tentative mention of the possibility of ruins on the far side of the island went unnoticed, much to their shock. 'Something's wrong with her... She hasn't been herself all day...'

Colette noticed Sheena's preoccupation first, and she felt her lips turning down from her smile into a frown. The ninja's topaz eyes were worried as they gazed at the chapel by the spring, the hotel and place of worship where Raine had retired to for 'rest'. None of them had attempted to convince her otherwise, unconsciously knowing that she could not be persuaded. 'Something's wrong with the professor... She won't talk about it but we all know that there's something wrong with her... I wish she'd talk to us...'

"Do you think it's because we're children?"

Both Colette and Sheena swung around in surprise when Presea's voice rang out as clear as bell over their thoughts, and the girl turned the same shade of pink as her hair when she realized she had spoken aloud. She sat tall however and took a deep breath to calm her erratically racing heart before repeating her question in a much more quiet voice, "Do you think... Do you think that Professor Sage won't confide in us because we are children in her eyes? Because we are her students?"

Sheena blinked once, then smiled ruefully when she realized that Presea's question held more water then she had thought. 'It makes sense now that I think about it... She's a teacher, it's her responsibility to take care of her students first, then herself... She wouldn't want to worry us.' She answered slowly, though part of her prickled at the idea of being thought of as a child, "I guess that could be it... But we've been through so much together, you'd figure she'd see us as comrades and not children after everything..."

"The Professor is the Professor." Colette said simply, though her lips were still tugged downwards into a sad frown. Her eyes were dark with concern and she twisted her hands together unconsciously. Another unconscious movement brought her hand up to her throat to gently touch the surface of her crystal before she continued, "She always thinks of us as students first... She loves us."

Sheena smiled wearily, knowing that Colette's logic was as simple and pure as the snow that fell in Flanoir. She could still hear the half-elven woman's words echoing in her head in the tone of a mother. 'She's right... Raine is a professor first before anything else...' Breathing a loud sigh, she glanced into the concerned faces of her young friends and then asked softly, "Does anyone have any idea what's bothering her?"

"I don't really know, she's seemed alright since we came to Meltokio, is must be something that just happened." Colette suggested thoughtfully, glancing to her right and left to see how Presea and Sheena took the suggestion. Both of them looked as equally thoughtful as she, giving the young Chosen a boost of confidence that let her continue. Her cheeks reddened slightly and she looked down even while she spoke, "I... I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but, um... I think the professor and Regal have been... getting really close lately, you know...? M-Maybe they... had a fight? She... She didn't say goodbye to him this morning..."

Presea blinked twice before she closed her eyes tightly, allowing her mind to filter over the last week. Almost immediately her eyes opened and her mouth popped open to form a silent 'o' of surprise. 'She's right!' Her mind calm and focussed, she jumped as she realized the two lone adults of their party had rarely been out of reach from each other since the beginning of their vacation.

"I didn't even think of that." Sheena mumbled sheepishly, raising a hand to rub at the back of her neck in embarrassment. Her face felt hot and biting her lower lip, she told herself weakly, 'That's because I've been so focussed on Lloyd this past week, of course I barely noticed anyone else... But... Thinking about it now, she was pretty cold to Regal this morning, barely gave him a nod when he gave us all goodbyes... That _is_ strange...'

"Perhaps we should ask if there is anything we can do to help?" Presea questioned aloud, biting her lower lip, her eyes clouded with worry. She tugged absently on the wet end of her pigtail, looking down at the water as if there was an answer there.

"I don't know they might need to settle things between themselves." Sheena knew the words weren't her own as she spoke them, she could almost hear Raine's voice in her mind echoing the words she herself had once said. She said them anyway, though the taste of the words were oddly foreign and she knew that even though she believed it, she would never follow them. 'I'm so going to end up talking to her later, aren't I...?'

"That sounds oddly familiar." Presea said dryly, though a hint of a smile had lifted her mouth as she looked pointedly at Colette who was giggling, and for her credit, looked abashed, just a foot away from them. Sheena rolled her eyes to the sky, but that only ended up sending another wave of giggles from the corner of the spring where Colette had relocated herself.

"Yeah it does sound oddly familiar, I heard it's been said a lot when I wasn't around." Sheena muttered sarcastically, but the tone didn't meet the way her lips threatened to quirk, or the light that danced in her eyes. She knew that the stress should have nearly been driving her insane, but the contentedness she had felt since she had first found herself in Lloyd's embrace was enough of a tranquillizer to calm her. 'I need this kind of thing... More than I thought I ever would...' A little smile quirking her mouth, she leaned her head back against the hot rocks and murmured to herself, "I'll need to thank him when I see him tonight..."

"Gotcha dreamin'!"

A splash of hot water hit the unprepared teenager straight in the face, and spluttering and trying to regain her equilibrium, a second round caught her in the ear. "What the–" The moment she tried to curse a third splash, this time from the right caught her, and without a thought she returned the favour and immediately drenched the laughing Presea.

"I didn't do it!" Presea knew the lie was only going to get her in trouble, but she was overwhelmed. There was a strange giddiness that refused to be controlled by logic or will, and it simply demanded obedience for whatever it was making her body do. Despite herself, she found herself listening to it and laughing hard as Colette splashed Sheena full in the face again.

"You're the devil!" Sheena growled in faux-annoyance, springing for the blond with deadly intentions. Colette squealed in delight, managing to duck into the water to escape the tackle, ending up beside Presea, laughing fit to burst as her hair came loose of the bun and spilled down her shoulders.

"I am not, I'm the Chosen!" Colette squealed back, her tiny body quivering as she dodged another of Sheena's attack, catching the summoner again in the face with another well-aimed splash. She didn't know what had caused her to start the game, but she had done it anyway, knowing that something had to be done to maintain the levity that kept them all sane. Laughter rang out from the spring as they continued the game, as they let themselves be what they were for the first time in what seemed like centuries. Children.

* * *

Raine could hear the girlish shouts of laughter from her room, and despite herself, she smiled as she glanced sheepishly out the window. The three were playing like children in the spring, ignorant to the world around them as they enjoyed themselves in a rare moment of playful levity. "It's good for them I suppose..."

Their laughter drifted from the hot springs up to the top floor of the small chapel, letting the half-elven woman know exactly what she was missing while she tucked herself away. With a rueful smile, Raine sat on the end of the small cot and winced when the flaring pain from her elbow told her she had yet to heal it. 'Ouch...' She slipped from her orange robe and rolled up the sleeve of her undershirt, checking the firm bandaging with a pained grimace. Though the blood had stopped flowing, the ringing ache still had yet to subside, giving her a worry that the wound had becomme infected. "I really ought to fix it..."

Her fingers gently brushing the white bandages, she made to begin undoing them almost out of habit before she stopped as soon as she had begun. 'No... I... I shouldn't... It's a good reminder of what I need to stop doing before it gets too out of hand...' Sighing in resignation, she rolled down her sleeve to cover the wound, glancing up balefully at the ceiling. The pain was strange, while she knew it originated from her wound and nothing else, the injury seemed to have spread up her arm and into her heart, making it a battle to even try and smile truly. 'What have you done to me...?'

"_Raine..."_

"Ughn! Dammit!" With more violent force than she had even assumed she had, she grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at the door. The resulting smacking sound gave her an dark pleasure, and she took a moment to calm her ragged breathing. The anger had dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving her with a strangely empty feeling that she knew all too well. Forcing strength into her arms, she retrieved a second pillow and sent it flying against the door, but the smack was much less quieter than the first, and the echoing throb in her arm only made her feel all the more weary.

She heard a startled squeal from the hot-springs outside, and despite herself, she got to her feet and glanced out the window to see what had caused it. Sheena had crossed the spring to grab the laughing Colette in a playful choke-hold while Presea sat back, laughing delightedly at the antics of the two physically older girls. "They all look so young..."

"Eek, I give up! You win!"

"Not till you get yours for splashing me earlier, this is vengeance!"

"Nooo! Yeek!"

Raine watched with a mild amusement as Colette squirmed around as Presea began to tickle her toes, Sheena somehow managing to keep her hold on the squirming angel as they tortured her. The little blond wasn't using anywhere near her maximum strength to fight them, as if she had already surrendered to the revenge, though her laughter echoed loudly. 'Hmm...'

"Noooo!"

The professor found herself sitting on the edge of the bed again, watching the three play with an affection she recognized quite easily. It was the same maternal love she felt when she had watched Genis take his first clumsy steps towards her when he was so little, the same warmth she felt whenever she scolded Lloyd in his lessons. 'My... children...' Running a hand wearily over her face, she let the warmth soothe some of the hurt that still refused to go away. 'When did I let my judgement become so clouded by how I felt about them...?'

She winced then, the memories coming back with much more strength then she had ever thought they could have. Biting her lower lip and fighting hard to rid the pain they caused, she could only close her eyes and watch as the images replayed like crystal in her head. Each voice rang out with surprisingly clarity as though they were whispering into her ear and holding her hand, letting her know exactly how much emotion those words held.

"_It feels kind of strange. I mean, you're my sister but at the same time... You were like a mother to me."_

"_Saving the world won't mean anything if we lose you!"_

"_You're just embarrassed at the compliment, aren't you Professor?"_

"_The bewitching female teacher... Hehehe."_

"_Professor Raine...?"_

"_You sound more like a mom than a big sister..."_

'Genis, Lloyd, Colette, Zelos, Presea, Sheena... They're all my students regardless of how much or how little I've been able to teach them... I truly have failed as a teacher, haven't I...?' Laughing weakly at this, she allowed herself a moment to let the realization sink into her body and was surprised by the strange warmth the thought brought her. She felt a bitter smile spreading itself across her face and murmured to herself, "So instead of failure, I feel happiness..."

A gentle knock scared the half-elven woman out of her thoughts, and she looked up sharply at the closed door. Her heart pounding with too much speed in her chest, Raine had to take a deep breath so her fear wouldn't be betrayed before calling tiredly, "Yes?"

"Raine, can I... Can I talk to you for a sec?"

She hadn't even heard the laughter fade from the spring, and when she glanced at the clock she felt like she had been struck in the stomach. 'So lost in memory I lose out on time... What is wrong with me?' Taking a deep breath to settle herself, she didn't even bother to get up from the bed before she called tiredly, "Come in, Sheena..."

The ninja opened the door hesitantly, wearing a rueful expression that matched well with her flushed face. She entered quickly yet hesitantly, closing the door behind her with a soft sigh before she glanced at the sitting healer. Her eyes strayed over the bandaging on her arm, a question echoing in her worried topaz eyes. One hand went to the wet ends of her hair, and she toyed with them weakly as a hint of pink darkened the shade in her face.

Raine couldn't help the weary smile that spread on her face, knowing fully well why Sheena had been the one to try to speak to her. 'Payment...?' Despite the mild prickle of annoyance that begged for solitude, she gestured to the end of the bed for Sheena to take a seat beside her, unconsciously pulling her sleeve down to hide her injury. "Can I help you?"

"Well, we're gonna be leaving soon and Colette and Presea are still changing so I figured I could get a second alone with you..." Sheena explained half-heartedly, raising a hand to rub at the back of her neck in a sheepish gesture. It had only taken her one glance to see the truth before Raine had built her facade around her, she had seen the pain, pain that was so shockingly familiar it was a true battle to keep her surprise to herself. 'Those eyes... It's... It's almost like I'm looking into a mirror...' She took a breath, readying her courage and stubbornness in one go so she could fight the battle that was more than likely going to erupt in the room. "Raine, I... We... We know that something's bothering you... Do you... Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Nothing–" Her protest died out mid-sentence as she watched Sheena cock one eyebrow in disbelief, lips thinning into a stern line. Cowed yet not sure why, the teacher tried again only to find that her words had deserted her, leaving her with an oddly empty and cold feeling coursing through her entire body. 'I can't lie...' Averting her eyes out of embarrassment, she tried to ignore the laughter ringing in her mind at her own childish actions. 'But I can't tell her... What in the world...? When have I ever felt the need to act so... childish?'

"You look like I did... not too long ago." Sheena disliked the bitter taste the words left in her mouth, but they weren't without truth as she spoke them. She could see herself almost, as if she and Raine had switched positions. She was the one sitting on the edge of the bed, hands clasped together in her lap, head bowed and shoulders slumped, as if to protect herself from the outside world. 'And to hide a love so strong it was painful to carry...' She reached out and placed her hand gently on Raine's shoulder in a gesture of invitation, and her voice was soft as she continued, "I... I can't be sure, but... I think... I think I know what's wrong. The circumstances might be a bit different, and maybe you do or don't feel as strongly as I did, but... The feeling's the same. It's not easy to hold that burden, trust me, I know... But it is easier to talk about it."

"It's strange, I'm being lectured on a subject I already know by a student that I once taught on the exact same lesson." Raine muttered darkly under her breath, though she felt worse when she watched Sheena flinch as though she had been struck. Immediately restrained by her guilt, she bowed her head and murmured a quiet, "I apologize... I shouldn't be so harsh knowing what I know..." She raised her head a little, catching sight of Sheena's warm but still questioning face, and asked weakly, "How much do you know?"

"Not all of it really, but enough to guess. I know you've been getting really close to Regal the past few days, maybe as close to him as I've been getting with Lloyd." Though her face pinked at the very mention of the man she had so willingly given her heart to, Sheena forced herself to continue. Raine's slightly smug look only spurred her on, and she rushed through her words now, "Stop looking at me like that, you helped me there and I want to return the favour!"

"Sorry..." Raine apologized through a short burst of laughter, though she knew she was embarrassing the summoner she couldn't help herself. 'She just looks so much like a young woman, nothing like she used to be when we first met... She's matured so much, she no longer is that uncertain and frightened child she was only a few months ago.' Finally able to control herself and with Sheena a bright crimson at her side, Raine apologized a second time, continuing sheepishly, "It won't happen again, I promise... I appreciate the kind words as well..."

"So...? Will you at least try to tell me what's wrong?" Sheena prodded gently, every fibre of her body demanding she retreat and pretend she had never noticed a thing. As an assassin, she had seen the secretive guard that the half-elf kept up around herself, warding off any and all attempts at a try to dig into what made her what she was. She kept her griefs hidden, almost as if they didn't exist, though her pain was as real as the water she so much despised. 'But... She can't keep holding all of that in. It's not healthy and she knows it.'

"You saw my arm." The subject change was swift and it baffled Sheena, but even knowing that she knew no other way to begin an explanation. When the ninja finally nodded slowly, Raine touched the dressing calmly and continued in a low voice, "I... I did it to myself... It's true, I have been growing very... _fond_ of Regal over the few days we've been able to spend time together... But... I don't think I can keep on growing so close to him."

"Why? You looked so happy together."

"Alicia."

The answer was simple and swiftly delivered, something that both surprised and nearly disappointed the ninja. Sheena could read the anguish that was barely hidden in the professor's normally guarded eyes and that surprised her too. 'It hurts her so much... No wonder she's been hiding herself away, it's all she can think about... Martel, this sucks for everyone...' The two fell into an uncomfortable silence, neither too sure of what to say or how to say anything that managed to get into their minds.

"Please don't tell anyone else..." Raine murmured in a pleading voice, her eyes lowered to hide the tears that threatened to spill down her face as she tried to control herself. The pain was intense, rivalling the agony she had felt when she watched her brother turn his face away from her with tears in his eyes as she stood alone in the shaking room of the tower. 'It's like part of my body is just gone... When did I start loving him? Why can't I control myself?' "I know it's a selfish request but I..."

"It's fine, I won't tell a soul." Sheena promised with a little smile, reaching out to gently place her hand on her comrade's shoulder. The healer's normally pale complexion was dusted with a gentle pink tinge that reminded the ninja of how young she truly was. 'Even though we all think of her as a mother-like figure, she's really not all that older than we are...'

"Thank you..."

Sheena slowly clambered to her feet, wondering why she suddenly felt so much colder when she made to leave the professor to herself. Glancing towards the door, she felt her body hesitate before she could actually leave the bedside, her eyes magnetically moving back to the silent woman. She paused for one moment, taking in Raine's weary expression, then murmured, "I'm going to check in on the girls to make sure we're all ready to go... Ten minutes?"

"Ten minutes will be fine, thank you." Raine answered with what she hoped was a reassuring smile, though she knew she didn't nearly have enough energy to truly put a strong emotion into it. She watched Sheena hesitate, her eyes torn and bottom lip protruding between her teeth as she struggled to make her decision. With a soft sigh, the healer nodded towards the door and instructed her calmly, "I'll be perfectly fine. Go on. I'll see you in ten minutes, no later."

"Alright..." Knowing she wouldn't be able to go if she looked at the half-elven woman's expression, Sheena kept her eyes on the ground and quickly fled the small room and closed the door with a snap behind her. Her knees shivering, she gave herself a moment, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath. 'It was... It was suffocating in there... Was that the atmosphere around me too back then...?'

Sheena ran a hand over her face and let out a quiet sigh, letting the tension melt away from her shoulders as she reminded herself she was no longer the woman in that room. 'But I was at one point... That I can't ever forget...' She winced and bit her lower lip before she let herself shiver and begin to walk across the hall to where the other girls had roomed. 'C-Colette...'

She didn't have a chance to set her hand on the doorknob before it flew open, revealing the wide-eyed Chosen her mind had just been on. Colette smiled apologetically as she read the surprise on the ninja's face and drew back with a soft giggle, "I'm sorry, I heard your footsteps and I just knew it was you... Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, I'm just kinda... zoned out." The ninja apologized hastily, raising a hand to once again rub at the back of her neck before she felt her stomach clench at the lie. She knew without looking up from the floor that Colette didn't believe her lie, and her heart thumped twice with painful aggravation. Smiling ruefully, she looked up to see Colette's wide eyes and felt her well-built composure slide from her body like a leaf falling from a tree. 'I...'

"_N-Nah, it's alright... I'm just a little... breathless."_

"A-Actually... C-Colette, can I talk to you for a second...?" Sheena smiled nervously as she watched Colette smile and slip from the room smoothly, closing the door with a soft click. Hands folded primly in front of her and blue eyes bright and curious, Colette was the picture of innocence that only left the summoner feeling worse. 'How could I...' "Colette, I..." Unable to look up to see the bright blue eyes that never held blame of anger, she murmured to the ground and let the words spill from her lips, "I'm sorry for how I've been treating you the past few days. I've been really horrible to you."

"Sheena, if anything, I've been the one who's been horrible to you." Colette replied with a small frown, drawing Sheena's attention so quickly the blond jumped at her wide-eyed stare. Smiling sheepishly, the blond kicked gently at the floor and wrung her hands weakly. The emotion clawed at the inside of her chest, fighting desperately to be let out but she clamped the lid down as she continued, "I... I know that you've been in love with Lloyd for a long time... When you talked to him in Flanoir... The way he smiled at you when he went outside... I just knew that I didn't... I didn't have a chance."

Blinking in complete confusion, Sheena heard something tear in her chest when she saw the pained expression on the blond's face. The guilt came as though it was a natural occurrence to her now, causing an even greater ache in her ribcage. Wincing but forcing to keep herself silent, she held her tongue and watched as Colette raised a hand to brush the back of it over her eyes. Her face seemed tortured, even worse than the agonized expression she had worn when she realzied she could no longer speak.

"I won't lie... I..." Colette heard her voice break as she tried to speak, and the noise was coupled with the aching pull of her heart letting go and letting a final bitter sob escape it. Using more self-control than she knew she had, her cerulean blue eyes locked on startled topaz, and she continued very softly, "I'm fond of him... I think I... I think I always was... very fond of him. I don't know when I... When I realized that he didn't feel the same way about me, b-but... I... I didn't, I didn't want to let him go. I was jealous that he saw you the way I wanted him to see me..."

"C-Colette..."

She smiled, no hint of blame or malice in the expression though her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. She reached forward, her hand gentle as it touched Sheena's. The emotion was still there, screaming and fighting to be released and cause hell, but it was stopped by another emotion, a stronger and warmer one that controlled her very being. Silently thanking Martel for the control she didn't know she had, the angel let the warmth spread, then murmured, "You're my friend. I... I understand now that he won't ever see me the way he sees you, and it doesn't make me angry..." She was quick to add as Sheena looked somewhat disbelieving and apologetic, "S-Sad, yeah, but not angry... But I have so much to be thankful for, I have great friends and even though I know that Lloyd will never see me like he sees you, I can still be happy, I can still live my life. I can't be angry at you, you're my friend Sheena. You'll always be my friend."

Sheena moved without a thought, yanking Colette forward by her collar, winding her arms tightly around the stunned blond's tiny form. She could feel Colette tensing in shock, but she didn't care, forcing her teeth together so she didn't outright sob. Her heart nearly burst inside her chest with torn emotions, a relief and sort of pain that made it difficult to breathe and think. It was like a tiny explosion has occured inside her, demanding action that she barely understood. "You idiot!" 'Why...? Why?' Closing her eyes as the tears began to flow, she whispered raggedly, "I don't know what I ever did to deserve a friend like you, you stupid, klutz of a Chosen..."

"I'm so glad you didn't kill me." Colette mumbled through a hiccup of her own, reaching up to numbly return the warm embrace, burying her face in Sheena's shoulder as her thin body began to quiver. 'I feel so stupid, but so happy at the same time.... I want this. I want to keep all of my friends close to me forever, Lloyd, Sheena, everybody...' She heard Sheena reply with a sound that mixed a laugh and a choked sob into one, and she giggled weakly into the shoulder of her friend's kimono. "I'm serious, you're my best friend."

"I'm glad I didn't kill you too." Sheena replied with a weak giggle of her own, well aware that there was tears burning in the corners of her eyes. The feel of her heart expanding in her chest made her ribs ache and lungs cry out for mercy, but she couldn't find it in herself to let the blond go. Her pride demanded to hide her still-forming tears while her heart told her to relax and calm herself. The words fell so easily from her, as though she had always been sure of where the tiny angel belonged in her heart, another part of the fmaily she had never let herself have. "I love you too Colette..."

"Whoa, I swear this place just keeps getting bigger!"

The loud exclamation brought them both rudely back to reality. The two broke apart as though they had been shocked, both grinning sheepishly while turning a shade of pink for nearly being caught in the sisterly embrace. Laughing as she recovered, Colette nodded to the stairs that led down to the foyer, a bright smile growing on her face, "I think that was Lloyd's voice. We should go and say hi."

"You just wanna say hi to Zelos." Sheena shot back smoothly, falling back into old pattern of teasing as though nothing had happened between herself and the blond Chosen she cared so much for already. She watched with a smug grin as Colette turned a bright shade of pink, lowering her eyes to the floor with a squeaky giggle of embarrassment. "C'mon, let's go down and get 'em. I'm sure they missed us too, even if they're too 'man' to admit it."

Colette giggled as she locked her arm with Sheena's barely able to quit her body from shaking with mirth. It seemed so natural to laugh and smile at the summoner, as though nothing had happened, as though the previous tears hadn't even occurred and their weak words meant nothing. The old pattern had been renewed yet changed, there was a new link in their bond that made it all the more tighter. 'It's... okay...'

They moved slowly down the stairs, peeking around the corner to make sure they hadn't been spied, giggling quietly to themselves like schoolgirls. Neither of them were quite sure what it was that made them act that way, perhaps it was the new levity they had experienced just a short hour ago, or it could have been something different altogether. It didn't really matter one way or the other, when they glanced from their sneaking at each other, they shared a secret grin that only seemed to make it natural.

"Hey, I thought you beautiful hunnies would be gone by the time we got here!"

Sheena found herself smiling at the loud and boisterous voice of the redheaded Chosen who had once made waking up an annoyance. Turning to see Colette's shy smile, she gave the tiny angel a little nudge in his direction, knowing without a doubt that the blond had missed him every moment they had been separated. She wasn't disappointed, Colette nearly fled her side and hopped down the stairs, tripping over her own two feet when she touched the bottom.

Zelos moved fluidly to make the save, catching her before she had a chance to begin to fall. She blushed crimson at her blunder, and he simply chuckled and ruffled her long hair in an affectionate gesture that only made her blush worse. Sheena noticed with a raised eyebrow at how casually Zelos' arm rested around her shoulders and the way the angel didn't make any attempt to move away from the embrace.

Her attention was successfully diverted when she heard the chuckling voice of her swordsman, and turning her head she saw him standing by the door with a grin so bright it could have lit up all of Meltokio with light to spare. Feeling her face splitting into a smile to mirror his, she cleared the last few steps with a graceful jump and landed only a foot away from him as her face began to warm. "Hi."

"Hey you." Lloyd answered with a smile, not waiting for her permission, tugging her into his arms for a bear hug that left her breathless. Taking a moment, he nuzzled against her neck and inhaled deeply, enjoying the warmth that flooded his body at the floral scent that drove him wild. He had felt spectacularly cold the moment he had watched her leave the mansion, but that feeling was gone the second he'd seen her at the foot of the stairs. "Missed you..."

"I missed you too, even if it's only been a few hours." Sheena answered with a soft laugh, standing on tiptoe to brush her lips against his cheek. It had only been a few short hours since she had left the mansion with the other girls of their party, yet being in his arms now made that short time seem like years. 'Is this what really happens when you're in love...?' "How was the first part of your day?"

Lloyd chuckled sheepishly, using his free hand to rub at his nose as a flush made its way up his neck to settle in his face. She grinned knowingly at him and it only made it worse, and he coughed once as he explained, "It was alright I guess, we didn't do much beyond hang around the mansion and talk... I'm sure you girls had more fun then we did... I don't think we're made for talking and hanging out like you girls are, no offence."

"None taken, it may just be a difference in the sexes." Sheena answered with a shrug, glancing around to see Genis talking animatedly with Presea about something that had the pink-haired girl grinning from ear to ear. Zelos and Colette seemed lock in a conversation that kept their backs to the others, though every so often Colette would giggle out loud and playfully swat at Zelos' shoulder. Raising an eyebrow when she realized that one of the males wasn't accounted for, she turned back to Lloyd and asked quietly, "I don't wanna pry, but... Has Regal been acting out of the ordinary lately? Like, did he seem off to you?"

"Off...? Now that you mention it..." Lloyd glanced around too, as if worried at the president was there and could hear him, then he lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "He did seem a bit more quiet that usual, like he didn't talk at all with any of us. Genis challenged him to a chess match and totally whipped him, I was really surprised. Regal didn't even seem to care, it's like his mind was somewhere else. I noticed he didn't even say goodbye to Raine when she left... Do you think they had a fight?"

Sheena smiled wryly, picking her words carefully before she began to explain. Her promise to Raine tugged at her loyalty, but her love for Lloyd made it difficult to hide anything from him, knowing he'd sense it. Deciding to compromise though she knew it would be difficult, she explained carefully, "I think Raine feels guilty about liking Regal because he's been suffering for Alicia, you know? She doesn't want him to feel even worse because he may or may not like her back in the same way."

"If they got into a fight and Regal's acting this way, I say he definitely has to like her." Lloyd frowned, not liking the thought of his professor and the man he'd come to admire feeling so depressed. Sheena's expression was similar and he sighed, leaning down to kiss her smartly on the cheek, continuing wearily, "This sucks... Was Professor Sage acting bad too?"

"Yeah, she didn't talk much to any of us, and when we got here she said she wasn't feeling too well and locked herself in one of the rooms upstairs..." Sheena explained with a growing frown, glancing at the ceiling as though she could see the professor still in the room on the end of the bed where she'd left her. "I think she's beating herself up. She doesn't like to admit it when she's feeling sad..."

"I don't think anyone does, which might be a problem." Lloyd grumbled once under his breath, hearing Sheena giggle once at him before she nuzzled playfully against his neck to try and coax him to smile. He grinned obediently, and earned a quick kiss on the mouth for his trouble before he grew serious. "We ought to try and help them, knowing how stubborn the professor is and... Well, how Regal is, they might never solve their problems on their own."

"Well I know Raine's still upstairs... Maybe we could get Regal to go up there somehow to talk to her?"

"Maybe..."

* * *

He knew it hadn't been proper of him to eavesdrop, but the moment he had heard Sheena murmur his name his ears had perked and he couldn't help but listen. He had smiled wanly when he'd listened to Lloyd quietly talk about him, but he knew every word had been truthful, so he had said nothing.

His attention however had truly been piqued when he heard Raine's name, and despite himself he listened quite attentively to the rest of the conversation. He had seen Sheena's eyes gaze unconsciously through the ceiling to where he supposed the half-elven woman's room was, and despite himself he felt his legs moving towards the stairs to get himself there.

He had seen her expression before she'd turned away the sheer agony and guilt that clouded her normally so expressive eyes and his heart ached for seeing that pain there. He hadn't understood then, unsure of what he had done to create those saddened eyes. The words of his two younger comrades had unlocked the simple puzzle, giving him a new picture to look at. A picture that completely bewildered him even though it was so familiar.

Guilt. He was no stranger to it, but it did surprise him that she was feeling it for _him_. He found himself wondering why the thought hadn't occurred to him earlier, it seemed so simple to him now. 'She worries about the promise I made... When in all reality, shouldn't I be the one concerned over breaking my word...? She... She worries about my emotions more so than her own...'

It ate at him even though he found himself concerned for her, a strange gnawing sensation that turned his soul two ways before it spun on its own, completely confused. He could still hear Alicia's soft voice gently scolding him, coupled with the warm sensation of Raine's lithe body pressed against his own. 'Ah...'

He was well aware of climbing the stairs two at a time, even though his mind had yet to fully digest all of the information he had been presented with. He followed Sheena's gaze to the room at the farthest end of the hall, though he paused before he could knock. 'What should I.... even say to her to begin with...? I... I am sure that these feelings I have will not go away, nor do I want them to. I am content to be with her. More so than I have been in a very long time... But how...?'

To his surprise the door swung open while he was lost in thought and he had no time to step backwards before she stepped right into him. Reacting instinctively, he caught her hands before she stumbled backwards, keeping her upright with one soft tug of his arms. "Ah, Raine..."

"R-Regal?" Raine stammered, well aware of the blush that was spreading across her face as she realized how close she was to him. His hands gently enclosed hers, and for the life of her she couldn't find the power to jerk them free. Instead she stared numbly up into the surprised face of the man who had been haunting her. 'Wh-What is he doing here...?'

"I... I would..." Regal cursed himself inwardly for his inability to speak, and with a hoarse cough he gave himself a second to recover. Her eyes were wide as they stared up at him, almost frightened, and he hated himself for seeing the anxiety building in her pale expression. His hands loosening on hers, he brought them up absently to touch her reddened cheek, brushing his thumb tenderly over her skin. "Raine, I would like to speak with you, if you don't mind... There is much I need to say to you."

Her mind commanded her body to run, to jerk away from him and flee before she let her heart take over and destroy all of her rational thought. His hand was warm against her face, caressing her so soon she was aching all over with a primal surge of desire that did strange things to both her body and mind. She had never had much trouble thinking clearly before, but a simple touch made it nearly impossible to form coherent thought, let alone words. 'Say no, just say no and slam the door in his face, do something, anything!'

He had leaned down until his mouth brushed against her ear, his arms looping over her head to tighten gently around her waist to hold her. The embrace was shockingly familiar though she could only count on one hand how many times she had been in it, and despite herself she stepped forward and rested her head against his shoulder. 'I...' She could feel it, the warm desire that made it difficult to breathe and demanded compliance and when he took a step forward to enter the room, she automatically took one back to let him in. The door shut behind them with a soft sigh.

**AN**

**Cliffhanger? XD Of sorts I suppose. Damn did this take long enough to finish or what? (sweatdrop) I don't know what's wrong with me seriously, it's been getting increasingly difficult to roll out the updates. I'd love to blame writer's block but it's worse than that, I have no idea what's wrong. Maybe I've lost the touch? (shudders horribly) Good god if that's the truth, I want someone to come up to me and shoot me right between the eyes, and I don't care who it is, just do it. If I **_**ever**_** lose the ability to write, there is seriously no reason for me to live anymore. Writing is my life, it's who I am and losing that is like losing my soul. (Evie: You already sold your soul for a parking space in hell, what are you talking about?) Begone plot-fairy from hell. (grumble)**

**Ah, so yeah, where was I... Oh yeah, review responses XD Blahah.... Before I do that, my sincere apologies for the lousiness of this chapter XD I don't know what's wrong with me but this is the third rewrite of this chapter so I'm putting it up before I blow my own head up. Sorry.... T.T**

**Brave Soul: A glomp is a really fast and kinda of leaping hug, lol, it's below a tackle in the "violent" department, so think of it as a really energetic hug, lol. XD I just felt touched so I really had to do it to show ya how much I appreciated your review. Hehe... And aww, did I get you attached to RegalxRaine? That makes me feel oddly proud and really bad at the same time... XD I never was one to try and force my pairings on someone else, though I damn well love to ship 'em... I don't mind helping you make an account if you'd like XD **

**Sychotic: XD You're not the only one who thought like that! First time I fought him, (and I mean the first playthrough I ever did...) I got my ass pwned each and every time I fought Kratos. He seemed invincible, which annoyed me since I hate losing... XD Hehehe. Ja, sorry about this chapter too (eheh) damn writer's... cramp?**

**Lloyd Irving Aurion: Hehe, you've got a point, breaks can help when the creativity still flows. Doesn't seem to be flowing right now though, dammit, lol. Hmm, a series of shots after Luin? That sounds pretty good, I'll give that some thought... Anything in particular you're thinking of?**

**The Raven: (grins) Yay I made a fan squeal! (feels special) XD**

**So once again, god damn the writer's cramp. XD Btw, if I disappear for a long period of time, I apologize because it's either me fighting of writer's block, or my computer finally succumbed to the blasted virus that got rid of my background and replaced it with what looks like a message from 4-chan telling me that my system's infected. -.- My comp looks fine, and it's working fine, but blah. I've backed up all my work, hoping for the best because nothing else seems to help and just waiting for the crash day. XD See you guys soon! (hopefully)**

**Sky**


	14. Changed Dynamics

**AN: I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE! (immediately gets smacked by someone and runs off to hide until the end of the story) I'm sorry. (sobs) Damn virus ruined my computer... I hush now until the end of the chapter.**

* * *

"You never healed the wound..." Regal's voice was quiet as his fingertips moved calmly over the bandages on her elbow, watching her eyes flicker from his gaze to where he was touching her. She managed to shake her head, unsure of where her words had ran off to, so she followed his lead when he sat her down on the edge of the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he met her wide eyes and asked in a whisper, "May I...?"

Still speechless yet not sure why, Raine nodded. She watched as he unwound the bandages with painstaking care, his face set into a mask of stone. Surprised by his patience, she sat completely still as he finished with the dressings and examined the gash she had inflicted on herself. She barely felt his hand around her arm to hold it out, or his fingertip as he traced the wound from start to finish. She stammered nervously, unsure of the sparks the simple touch sent through her entire body, "R-Regal..."

"I will heal this for you, please remain still." Regal spoke calmly, ignoring her quiet and nervous call of his name. Focussing, he let the mana in his fingers began to surface and poured the energy from his hands into the wound, willing the skin to close and repair. Managing to keep a straight face despite the effort, he apologized wearily, "I am not as proficient a healer as you, but I hope this will do for now..."

The mana buzzed silently on her skin as it did its work, casting an odd greenish glow around the area before it closed the wound completely. She felt it working, sinking through her skin to heal the damaged tissue before it closed the wound and restored normal blood flow, completely nullifying the pain before making it disappear altogether. He removed his hands slowly from her, and she whispered a soft, "Thank you..."

"Raine... There is something I need to speak with you about." Regal's voice was oddly calm, but when she looked up at him she saw the hesitancy and anxiety in his eyes.

She said nothing, both unsure of what to say and also confused at what he would be telling her. She felt it, the strangling fear that dared her to fight against the idea of abandonment. She had already been left behind once before and despite the strong face she put on, it was always a fear. 'Will he... Will he leave me as well? Will I... be alone again?'

"I will only ask you one question." Regal began in a firm tone, despite the aching turmoil that was rending him top to bottom. There were so many other variables that could have, that should have, been considered. He ignored those however, forced himself to think of only the simple question that truly did define what they were. Dancing around the question did no good to either of them, despite the guilt, the pain and hesitancy, there was only one question that could define the puzzle and solve it all in one fell sweep. "That is all that matters to me, one question and one answer. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She answered as firmly as she could, though her entire body seemed to be on the verge of simply shattering into pieces.

"My... My feelings for you... You know that I care deeply for you, I would not have done nearly a quarter of what I have if I did not, you understand...?" Regal asked in a low voice, his gaze never faltering, his hands clasping hers in a tight but comfortable fit. He was surprised by how fearful her eyes were, how guilty they appeared as he stared into them, every single emotion layed out for display like the books she loved. "I... I feel very strongly for you Raine, more strongly than I ever believed I could ever feel for any creature in this or any other world. Ever since Alicia died, I wholeheartedly believed I would never have reason to live, let alone, love again. You changed that. How you did so is beyond my reasoning, but I never was a man who believed that love is logical. All of that aside... Raine, I want you to answer my question. Are my feelings returned?"

"R-Regal–" Raine began, only to be cut off when he raised his hands from hers, expression serious yet scolding. She tried again, feeling the mix of nervousness, fear, and pain nearly causing her to buckle into two. "It's not–"

"Yes... or no, Raine. No more and no less. Yes, or no."

She bit her lower lip, attempting to stifle the truth that begged to be let loose. Her mind was screaming a negative even though it was the most blatant lie she had ever thought of, and despite every fibre of her being that trusted her logic, she couldn't find it in herself to open her mouth to speak the word. Instead she looked away from his eyes, the gentle cerulean that always seemed so flat yet held more passion than she had ever seen. 'Say no, say no, say no!'

It hurt. She was astounded by the pain that the unspoken chant was causing her, even worse that she saw the pain in his face as he waited achingly for her answer. He seemed to sense her turmoil, but there was an emotion she knew too well in his eyes, fear. The same fear that gripped her heart even now after his consoling words. She took a deep and shaky breath and tried to speak, but her throat had simply closed on her, leaving her mouth painfully dry and the words unable to escape. Despite her mind screaming its denial, she ignored the rationality and let her head fall down in one single, condemning nod.

There were no words for his reaction, though a single and almost relieved, sigh left him in a quick breath. She barely had time to react before his arms were looped around her, pulling her into a comfortable and protective embrace that made her entire being tingle. His face buried into her hair, she heard him mutter raggedly, "I understand... At least, I hope that I understand. I know guilt, and I also know pain... What I didn't know was that someone like you would feel those things _for_ me. I didn't expect that at all, I never in my wildest imagination anticipated that. It... It is fairly overwhelming to even try to understand the concept when I spent so much time believing that I was right to be condemned, to be punished... Redemption eluded me because I never made the effort to search for it, but in the end I found myself forgiven, and beyond that, loved. I... I am... happy."

"I can't... Alicia." Raine breathed, not having the strength to attempt to escape his hold or even complete her sentence. She settled instead for hiding her face in his chest, trying to disguise her tears or relief and agony, her body now quivering until she was certain she would fall apart. He held her all the tighter as though he sensed this. "I'm..."

"Alicia will always have a place in my heart Raine... I will always love her with part of my being simply because she was once the meaning of who I was." Regal was startled himself by how easy it was to speak the words, though he still felt the pain, the blows seemed lessened somehow. Something hadn't entirely eclipsed the hurt, he doubted it ever would, but whatever it was had numbed the ache and filled him with something else. Drawing on the words that rung in his head even now, he murmured against her ear, "I was told many times that I need to stop punishing myself, that I have suffered enough and deserve to be... happy. I never followed that advice until now because some part of me didn't want to leave that world just yet. I am not entirely certain of where a new path may or may not take me but I have convinced myself that I will not be standing alone. It... It is time for me to begin life anew."

She said nothing, her mind had suddenly become blank and her body felt numb. She could feel his heartbeat against her cheek, giving her the dose of reality she needed to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. She breathed in slowly, savouring the musky scent that clung to his clothing and skin before she tried speaking again. "Do you... A-Are you entirely certain with your decision Regal?"

"More certain than I thought I could be. When I realized what torment you put yourself through for my sake... It all became very clear to me." His lips pressed gently against the top of her hair, signalling that he wanted her to look up. She followed his subtle sign immediately, feeling a single tear making its way down her cheek only to be brushed away by a gentle kiss. "I never thought that what I went through may have been a source of pain for you, I was foolish and blind. Making sense of it, realizing how deeply you must care if you were willing to give more thought to me than yourself... It made things very clear. There was something I was being offered, a route to happiness. I want you Raine, I wish to spend every single moment of my life beside you. I love you. I still don't know what you did to heal me, I don't know if I actually want to understand. All I know is that I want you."

"R-Regal, I... I d-don't..." Raine was fighting a losing battle and she knew it, even though her mind continued to demand denial her heart had already made its decision. He understood that, she knew without knowing as he held her close and nuzzled tenderly against her sensitive skin.

"_I love you."_

Words. They were simple words that while she understood them, never truly could hit her as fiercely as they should have. He was saying them to her now, whispering so intimately into her ear she could almost forget that the entire world existed around her. She had lost the battle to keep herself away from him, to accept the guilt that drowned out her emotions for him. There was no more struggling for her now, she knew that. She was far to rational to continue fighting when there was no hope.

She felt his lips against her own, surprisingly gentle compared to their more recent embraces. There was no hesitation, simply a warm patience as he waited for her reply. He was offering her the chance to either accept or reject him, he had already accepted what was part of him now. She almost laughed, he had successfully managed to hit both her pride and heart in one fell sweep and she knew the bittersweet taste of a pleasant defeat.

She answered the kiss, giving into the mix of lust and love that had controlled her for longer than she knew. Fire erupted in her blood, clearing away her emotion and replacing it with a haze that only knew instinctive control. His arms tightened around her waist, fingers tugging slowly at the hem of her shirt as the desire boiled in him as well.

She raised her arms as he released her, his fingers fastening around the hem of her shirt before he lifted it over her head and tossed it away. His mouth was against hers quickly, fuelling the fire that begged more as she found herself tugging at the sleeves of his clothes. His tongue was warm in her mouth as it caressed hers, she barely felt the crisp linen under her as he leaned her back onto the bed, kissing her all the while.

The weight of his body as it slid pleasurably against her own was nearly her undoing, she barely felt her fingers twining in his hair to pull him even closer. Her lungs cried out for air even as her body screamed for more, when he broke for a short gasp she whispered his name like a prayer.

"Raine..." He groaned as her hips pushed up against his own, securing a fit that he didn't even know had existed. Every plane of his harder body met perfectly with the softer lines of her own, completing a form that was neither his nor hers. She stared up at him, eyes dazed yet still anxious, a hint of a smile raising her lips as he paused in his movements. It was almost like the dreams, the many and surprising dreams that made sleep a difficult yet oddly pleasing experience. His fingers were brushing against the sensitive skin of her stomach, eliciting a sharp gasp that let him know that she liked the attention. "I've dreamt of this... Reality seems so much better..."

"It always does." She whispered back, tugging once on his collar before resuming the kiss as though it had never been broken. Shivers of pleasure and desire clouded her mind as his shackled hands ran down her middle, finding the beginning of her pants. He undid them with ease as she finished with his shirt, her hands roaming across his chest as she familiarized herself with every defined muscle. It was new she marvelled in it, there was something possessive that added to her exploration, this was something that belonged to her now, while she in turn belonged to him.

"I love you." It was a low whisper in her ear as he did away with her pants, his body pressing perfectly against her own as she moaned aloud as the pleasure continued to build. Her hands were on his shoulders, clenching tightly as he began to pepper the skin of her neck with soft kisses.

"Regal..." She whispered in return, letting her mind forget what was happening, what was coming and focussing only on the moment she was in. It felt wrong to do it, but when he kissed her again, her worries vanished to be eclipsed with the too real feelings of pleasure. This was her reality, a reality she had accepted the moment her heart made it's decision without her. "I love you too."

* * *

Lloyd smiled slightly to himself as he watched Sheena giggle at something Colette had said, the two girls playfully exchanging a secret smile of their own. He turned to his left to see the affectionate grin Zelos was wearing, and despite himself he teased the redheaded male, "What's with the look Zelos? You were moaning and sulking all day, it's like someone flipped a switch now."

Zelos rolled his eyes to the ceiling but he didn't even bother to find a smart comeback, his eyes glued to the tiny angel that had somehow managed to peel away the layers of ice that surrounded his heart. He knew that the red-clad swordsman was right with every word, he hadn't felt quite as comfortable as he had been when the girls had left, most specifically his counterpart Chosen. She had been a strange tranquillizer to him, soothing the guilt and the pain until he nearly felt at home. "Maybe you're right bud, maybe you're right."

"Heh... She does have a way of doing that to a person." Lloyd acknowledged with a nod, glancing towards his childhood friend as she shot a brilliant hundred-watt smile towards Zelos. To Lloyd's surprise, Zelos' face softened and he smiled back, winking at Colette to watch her face go brilliant red. 'He only looked like that when he was talking about Seles... He's gotten softer kinda, if that even makes sense...'

"Hey bud, I wanted to ask you something..." Zelos' voice had dropped from boisterous to a conspiratorial whisper, and Lloyd subtly managed to lean closer to him to give the redhead a sign that he was listening. Zelos, pretending to keep his eyes on the girls, asked out of the corner of his mouth, "Well... I noticed you and Sheena have been getting pretty close lately, and that's fine with me, but uh... I wanted to ask ya about Colette."

Lloyd raised one eyebrow and he watched Colette twitch from across the room before she continued to whisper to Sheena and Presea. Knowing perfectly well that Colette was probably listening despite herself, he decided to pretend he hadn't seen the sign and answered Zelos calmly, "What about her Zelos?"

"C'mon, it's not like I'm stupid or something, I know you two are close." Zelos grunted, fighting to keep his voice as neutral as possible. Though he had never thought twice to flirting with a taken woman, there was something different, spectacularly different about the blond angel that had him doing everything in an oddly backwards sense. He had been making a hard effort to keep his words plain and genteel and though he still had the lustful instincts that made him wonder and dream, he fought them off. It seemed against his own nature what he was doing, but he couldn't seem to reign it in either. Any dark thought would simply vanish from his head the moment she smiled at him with a bright and innocent glow surrounding her entire being. He knew also that Lloyd didn't share his fancy, though that annoyed him in an oddly possessive way, he was glad to see that Sheena had captured him instead. Still, there seemed to be something unsaid that caused the Chosen to toe the line. "It's like you're her big brother or something... I just wanna make sure I'm not stepping on toes, y'know?"

"Stepping on toes?" Lloyd repeated in a chortle, barely able to keep his amusement penned in. Zelos looked properly miffed at his own words, and much to Lloyd's delight and the redhead's chagrin, the Chosen began to blush. Raising a hand to muffle his laughter, he managed, "Zelos, when have you _ever_ cared about stepping on toes? What's with you all of a sudden?"

"Look man, I like her!" Zelos burst out in annoyance, then he quieted immediately as he realized he had hissed the words much more loudly than intended. With Lloyd nearly convulsing with laughter on the cushion beside him, Zelos palmed his face and fought his annoyance, exasperation, and embarrassment. There was the difference between her and any other woman he had ever seen, let alone been with, that drew him to her and yet made him want to pull away. He had no idea how to even to begin phrasing the emotion she made him feel, and though he knew it was none of Lloyd's business, he tried anyway. "I like her a lot, okay? She's.... She's just _different_ and I... I like that. I just want to know if... if you mind."

Despite the urge to continue teasing the already annoyed man, Lloyd found himself growing calm and smiling serenely to himself. He'd seen the warm looks the two sent to each other when they thought no one was looking, the chemistry that crackled around them whenever they were in the same room... While at one time it may have irked and confused him, he understood it all now and his reaction was entirely different. He turned complete to Zelos, his voice low and serious as he answered, "I don't mind, what you and Colette do or don't do is up to the both of you not me... But..."

Zelos stiffened almost instantly, and despite knowing that Lloyd wasn't a vindictive person, his entire body was steeled for a fight. He could feel it, the strange but welcomed possessive feeling that entered him the moment he saw eyes that used to be so like his following Colette as she walked on oblivious at his side. She was no longer just a counterpart Chosen, she was _his_ angel and even though he knew it wasn't right, he couldn't stop himself from thinking otherwise.

Lloyd saw and knew that posture, he saw himself back in the hotel as he realized that Sheena had snuck out to see her mysterious companion. It was jealousy, and it was ownership, a strangely arrogant thing that drove nails into his head. A smile softened his expression, but his words were quiet as he spoke them, "Colette is dear to me. She's my childhood friend, we grew up together, so I care about her a lot. I just wanna see her happy, and if what makes her happy is you, then that's good... Just..." His lips thinned and his eyes grew weary as they locked onto Zelos', and he continued in a much more stern tone, "I've seen how you act around women..."

Zelos didn't let him finish, sensing the threat that lay underneath the words, words that were once so true but now felt entirely wrong to him. Frivolity and the selfishness, things he had hoped he had shed, or could shed now and forever from his being. Colette had truly managed to sink something other than truth into his head and heart, she had changed him. "I don't see her like that at all. I couldn't forgive myself if I saw her like that. She's not like them, she's... She's special. In her own way and... and to me. She's just special to me. I... I care about her Lloyd, more than I've cared about any of those girls, more than I've cared about anyone. You know how that feels, right?"

Lloyd felt his eyes moving on their own resting on the smiling face of the summoner that he cherished more than his own life. 'Yeah.... Yeah, I know how that feels...' His lips quirked into a smile and he turned his face from Sheena to Zelos, seeing the hope and worry in the Chosen's normally cheery face. He seemed oddly human in that moment, giving the swordsman a glimpse into the true man that hid himself under a mask of superficiality. He couldn't doubt those words. "Yeah. It's okay... I'm fine with it Zelos, I just wanted to make sure. You're fine."

"...Of course I'm fine." Zelos waved a hand in the air as if the question hadn't held any importance, but his body seemed like he was flying. There was an ecstasy he'd never experienced before, which made his true feelings all the more difficult to hide. Having difficulty putting the mask back on, he tried again, "When is the great and handsome Zelos not fine?"

"Whatever you say Zelos, whatever you say..." Lloyd chuckled softly, glancing towards the girls again to see what they were now up to. Colette had become very stiff, and he could almost see the tinge of red on her cheeks even though her back was to him. Sheena was beside herself with gentle laughter, but her hands were resting protectively on Colette's shoulders in a show of support. Presea looked oddly mystified with their behaviour, but she quickly dismissed it and turned to Genis to strike up a conversation with him. Deciding it was time to change the topic to ease the uncomfortable tension between them, he asked casually, "Noticed anything different since we came here...?"

"You mean how everyone's falling in love?" Zelos asked sarcastically, but Lloyd's grin was brilliant and perfectly innocent, causing the sarcasm to fall flat. Snorting at his antics, Zelos folded his arms behind his head, nodding towards the four in the far corner of the resting room beside the chapel down the hall. "Yeah, I've noticed it... It's kinda cool in a way, this vacation's given us all a chance to unwind and get close to the people we care about. It's a good chance for all of us before we finally manage to settle things..."

"Do you have any plans for after all this?" Lloyd questioned with a raised eyebrow, noticing that his friend's posture had become much more relaxed now that the topic was away from Colette. Colette seemed to have relaxed too, though Sheena was still giggling fit to burst beside her, they probably were still listening to them. Trying to keep his focus, he looked at Zelos and continued, "I mean like after all of this and the world's are joined again, what are you gonna do? You won't be the Chosen of Tethe'alla anymore if the world's are put back together, right?"

"That's a good point... But until the Church of Martel is deconstructed, I'll still have all the rights and powers of the Chosen." Zelos pointed out with a hint of a roguish smile, nodding towards the girls he continued pleasantly, "I'm gonna work on abolishing those stupid half-elven laws, then getting rid of the caste system right after that... I'm gonna move Seles outta that damn abbey too, I can't stand seeing her locked up like that. She deserves a good home after everything she's been through..."

Lloyd smirked, he saw the warm light in Zelos' eyes as he spoke fondly about his younger sister, the love was there no matter how hard he tried to hide it. It had only become more apparent when the redheaded girl found them in the Coliseum and demanded a battle with them to prove she was strong. He'd said as much in the words he told her after the battle, he cared for her. "You gonna move her into your mansion?"

"Yeah, I want to keep an eye on her. She doesn't look it, but the kid's a wildcat. She can get into a lot of trouble when she feels like it, having her closer might help." Zelos affirmed with a slight grin, scratching at the back of his neck absently. Stifling a yawn with his right hand, he continued wearily, "I've missed having her around, y'know? The mansion's nice and there's always girls around, but there's no one really to be with... No one constant."

"Colette might be your constant." Lloyd suggested, noticing again how Colette came to attention across the room. Zelos seemed to have noticed it too, but he said nothing, merely looked curiously at Lloyd to continue. The twin swordsman continued pleasantly, "If you don't want to spend all your time in Meltokio, you can always go with her. She's already made plans for after all of this. She's gonna go around to all of the damaged cities and help with the rebuilding. She wants to restore Palmacosta and things like that. It won't be easy for just her, you could help."

"Good.... point..." Zelos found himself smiling at the idea of it, though it really was the thought of spending more time with Colette on his own that brought the smile to his face. It was a desire he wasn't familiar with, there were no odd strings attached to it, it was him wanting to be with her simply to be with her. "That'd be something worth doing... A lot better than just directing stuff from the shadows... I'd like to do that... I'll ask her."

"Ask me what Zelos?"

Lloyd and Zelos jumped in unison, causing Sheena to downright cackle from where she stood, just a foot away from them at by Colette's side. She smiled brightly at the startled Lloyd, nudging the blushing Colette to get her to repeat herself. Neither swordsman seemed to be capable of speech, which only caused Sheena to grin broadly and Colette's face to darken to crimson. Stumbling over her words as she often did over her feet, the blond angel asked again, "W-What did you want to ask me Zelos?"

"Ah, uh..."

"C'mon Lloyd, let's go." Sheena grinned and caught her swordsman by the arm, pulling him to his feet and winding her fingers through his. Lloyd's confused expression melted into a smile when he realized what she was doing, and he followed her lead without another word. She didn't stop walking until they were outside, something he didn't find surprising, and when she sat in the grass by the building he followed suit immediately. She poked his sides, a mischievous smile lighting up her face as she teased, "You know Colette heard every single thing you guys were talking about, right?"

"Yeah, I knew." Lloyd laughed, playfully grabbing a hold of her hands to make her stop, leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. She crinkled it and crossed her eyes, causing him to chuckle before giving her a proper kiss. Flopping back into the long grass, he sighted contentedly as he closed his eyes. "I think Zelos forgot though, he just kept on talking... I thought it'd be good for her."

"Well it kinda was, she was pretty embarrassed." Sheena remarked with a gentle smile, knowing how easy it was to fluster the blond. Rubbing her right arm lazily, she could still see the properly shocked expression the angel had worn when she realized Zelos and Lloyd were speaking about her. "She grabbed my arm so hard I thought she was gonna break it... Zelos doesn't really talk about things like that to her, he wants to I think, but he just doesn't. It was good she got to hear it, it gave her some confidence."

"She always could use a boost of that... Sometimes I think all of us could use a good shot of it every now and then." Lloyd remarked with a bit of a smile, turning his head to glance at Sheena as she sprawled out in the grass with a contented expression. He reached out to absently catch a lock of her dark hair, twisting it gently so it caught the light of the afternoon sun. He could see the violet hue of her hair that he admired, and with a lazy smile he lay down beside her. "Your hair looks pretty..."

She blushed a slight tinge of pink, lowering her eyes even though her lips quirked into a smile of delight. He had to pause for a moment, startled. Her face pinked in the sunlight, a pale contrast to the violent crimson that she would turn whenever he touched her let alone complimented her before. 'Something... definitely shifted between us... for... for the better.' Brushing his fingers through her bangs that she always let fall from her ponytail, he asked absently, "Are you gonna wear it down for the party?"

"I actually don't know what I'm going to do with it to be honest..." Sheena answered with a thoughtful expression, pulling her bangs in front of her eyes, studying it as if she was trying to picture how she would look in the coming hours. Raising her eyes to meet his, she felt the blush darkening just a fraction as she asked, "Do you... Do you want me to wear it down?"

Lloyd paused even though his answer was already decided and he took a moment to watch her expression. She seemed almost hopeful and he knew she would do whatever she asked, just as he would to see her smile. 'Heheh... What idiots we are...' He let his fingers move down her cheek, the gesture so natural she was already leaning into his hand before his fingers had finished the caress. He changed his thoughts then, his smile gentling as he answered softly, "I don't mind either way. Do whatever you like, you'll still look beautiful."

"You know if anyone else told me that I'd figure they were lying or being underhanded about it somehow..." Sheena sighed wearily, rubbing at her forehead to disguise the growing blush on her face. 'His voice...' There was nothing but a childlike innocence in his words, an earnestness that touched her in ways no other thing could. Raising her eyes with a shy smile, she finished in a murmur, "But when you say it I find myself believing anything."

"Hehe, that's surprising..." Lloyd laughed, closing the distance between their faces to gently kiss her on the cheek. She playfully pushed him away but he wasn't to be denied, sitting her up and wrapping his arms tightly around her in a bear hug. Laughing, she surrendered, resting her head against his shoulder as she relaxed into the embrace. "So you'll believe anything I say huh?"

"Don't push it."

"Well it's just an interesting thing to say, that's all." Lloyd defended himself teasingly, grinning in the face of her mock-scowl. She huffed once and looked away as though she was angry, but he knew her too well to take the bait. Laughing, he nuzzled against her neck and pulled her right into his lap to trap her there. She didn't struggle away from him but she did remain stiff, letting him know that she wasn't about to give in. Snickering at her defensive posture, he rested his chin on her shoulder and watched the surroundings with a contented absence that he didn't understand.

It had always been easy to speak with her about anything, she had made it so simple by always sitting and watching him with gently expectant eyes and a warm smile. Yet now he found himself without words and completely content, as though they weren't needed between them. There was a comfortable silence between them that made words unnecessary, he knew exactly what she was feeling and thinking without even having to ask.

Sheena felt her lips tweaking despite the force she was using to try to remain annoyed to keep up the banter. Knowing she was going to lose regardless of how hard she struggled, she ended up turning her head and kissing Lloyd's cheek softly. He grinned smugly, and with an affectionate roll of her eyes she scolded him,"You don't play fair, you know that?"

"There's rules?" Lloyd asked with raised eyebrows and an incredulous expression, drawing helpless laughter from the woman in his arms. Still smug that he had won, Lloyd tightened his hold on her subtly and muttered into her ear, "Y'know I've never been all that good at following rules..."

Her eyes closed, she let out a soft sigh as his mouth touched her earlobe, kissing her gently before moving the kiss down her neck. Her stomach tightened pleasantly as he whispered her name, his arms tightening around her body. Body taut and anxious, she replied breathlessly, "Me either..."

"Rules are made to be broken." Lloyd muttered huskily against the sensitive skin of her neck, rather enjoying the murmur she made of his name. He could feel the iron wave of lust that scrambled his thoughts and warmed his blood, and for a moment he forgot that his friends were inside the chapel and could easily see them if they cared to look out the window. Brushing his mouth along her neck, one arm loosened around her and his hand lazily slid under her kimono to caress the bare skin of her stomach.

"Lloyd..." Sheena closed her eyes tightly as he splayed out his fingers, gently rubbing into her skin. Tilting her head back just a little, she heard his dark chuckle of satisfaction that left her aching in more ways than she knew how to explain. A tiny warning bell sounded in her ears, though it was easy enough to ignore as Lloyd continued to press small kisses to her neck and collarbone. Forcing her eyes open however when the bell got louder, she murmured, "Lloyd... We'll get caught..."

He groaned unhappily, and for a split second she was completely ready to ignore her own words and begin anew. He dropped his hand from her however but didn't move his mouth, though his kisses gentled and he continued to hold her close. She made a soft huffing noise of discontent, and with a weary laugh he reminded her, "You're the one who said we'll get caught..."

"Yeah, I know." Sheena mumbled dejectedly, wincing at the fire that now blazed without any added fuel in her blood. Bereft and completely annoyed at her inability to control herself, she lowered her head and grunted, "This is really a problem if we can't keep our hands to ourselves for _any_ amount of time..."

"I really don't see it as a problem." Lloyd snickered darkly though when she whacked him lovingly in the shoulder he smiled apologetically into her frown. Wrapping her into a bear hug, he inhaled her floral scent before whispering, "I don't think I'll ever be able to keep my hands to myself, if that's alright with you..."

"Quit it, don't make this any harder than it is." Sheena muffled a giggle into his chest, fighting off both her desire and amusement with great trouble. He got a chuckle out of her efforts and though it annoyed her, she was more pleased with the fact that his arms had settled themselves around her again. She glanced up at the sky, noticing with a jolt that the bright azure blue was beginning to darken just the slightest, the horizon blurring into a rainbow of oranges, reds and purples as the sun began to set. "It's getting late... The party's going to start in a few hours... We're still here though."

"Yeah, I thought you were already gonna be gone when we showed up." Lloyd nodded at her thoughts, though he made no effort to release her from his arms to let her leave. She laughed at this but didn't move either, instead settling even deeper into his arms for a better fit. Glancing up at the darkening sky, he frowned just a little and asked, "Wasn't Professor Sage going to come downstairs and leave with you?"

"I guess she got held up... She has so much to think about... Though if Regal went to see her, it might be best to leave them alone and not say anything." Sheena suggested with a little shrug, a tiny smile pulling at her lips. She hadn't seen the duke since he'd arrived, and she hadn't seen the professor either which gave her an odd sense of deja vu. 'I wonder what they're up to...' "I hope they settle things out, for their sakes and the team's..."

"Yeah, it's hard on everyone when two of us are fighting..." Lloyd agreed with a quiet sigh, frowning as he remembered the tension that had been raised when Regal's true identity had been discovered. It had seemed that the party was ready to split down the middle with those who forgave the duke and those who agreed with Presea's anger. Rolling his shoulders back casually, he added, "But the professor isn't one to be indecisive for long and Regal doesn't like fighting either. They'll settle things."

"Yeah, probably... Though I hope it doesn't take them _too_ long, or we'll miss the party." Sheena snickered to herself, though she was inwardly dancing at the idea of not attending. Her every cell groaned at the thought of just standing there in the middle of Tethe'alla's finest, and adding a dress that made it nigh impossible to fight should the worst happen simply made it all the more torturous.

"You're not worried about that." Lloyd teased, not even having to see her face to tell that she was perversely pleased about missing the soiree. She made no argument but he saw the way her cheeks twitched upwards into a grin, and chuckling himself he admitted somewhat sheepishly, "I'm not too hyped about going either, I don't think I belong in a place that full of royalty, y'know? I'd feel out of place. I wouldn't mind missing it."

"I'd sneak off any day but Raine would probably use Photon on us before we even made it to the doors." Sheena smirked a bit at the idea of a well-dressed professor brandishing her staff threateningly in full view of the king and the rest of the royal family. Snorting under her breath, she elbowed Lloyd gently and teased, "Think if we tried to do it in full view she'd hit us? I mean, I've seen her discipline Genis before, but I've honestly been too scared to ever test her. I think she'd hit me too if I did something too out of line."

Lloyd laughed out loud though he was smiling ruefully at her anxious expression. Kissing the top of her hair, he explained sheepishly, "Don't tell anyone I told you this, _especially_ Zelos, but Raine used to hit me too. I got my fair share of spanking from her when I was growing up, and when she stopped spanking me, she started drop-kicking me instead. She might be a really great teacher but she still has a foot like a stone. I swear, after she kicked me in the Temple, I couldn't eat for three days!"

Sheena had to clap a hand over her mouth to stop her laughter, knowing if she started she may very well never be able to stop. Though she knew that the half-elven woman had a quick mouth and an even quicker hand, she surprisingly had no trouble imagining the silver-haired teacher kicking Lloyd for something he did. "That's.... not hard to imagine..."

"Nice to know you feel sorry for me." Lloyd attempted to sound petulant but her stifled laughter brought too much of a smile to his face. Burying his face in her neck as she continued to giggle silently, he felt his chest lightening as he held her close. She made it too easy to forget his other worries. Breathing in her heady scent, he glanced up at the darkening sky with a contented smile. The day could pass and he wouldn't notice, as long as she was still in his arms.

**AN**

**No comment? XD It seemed like a good place to leave it I guess... That and I really had nowhere else to go with this chapter so it ended there anyway. Hehe. Yes, I'm alive! (dodges flying debris and dives into my bomb shelter) No flames, no flames! The computer died on me and we had to take it in for fixings... Then I lost most of my ideas during my long break of no computer and suffered through withdrawals and I could bore you with a long tale of woe but I won't because I know it bores you. XD Review response time! XD**

**Brave Soul:**** You sound like you've never been glomped before, that makes me sad. Lol. To make an account is pretty simple, there's a button up near the top that says "Sign Up", if you click it and follow the instructions that makes you an account, lol. You need an email address of course, and maybe five to ten minutes of time in case you can't think of a pen-name, lol. But that's really all there is to it. If you're still having trouble, give me a holler at my email and I'll try to walk you through it?**

**faroutcast****: Lol, it's not really, just the past few chapters have given a good light on the changing dynamics and it's going to affect Sheena and Lloyd too... But I'm worried about moving the spotlight so to speak because I'm not really trying to do that. (tear)**

**Lloyd Irving Aurion:**** Yeah, no kidding! I always say that writer's block is the devil's idea of a good crank call. I stand by that statement too... Hmm, as for your ideas, they all sound incredibly sound (lol), and I'd like to give my hand at a few of them. I'm sorry to say it's not going to happen right away as I want to finish Jealousy before I even attempt to put my focus somewhere else. I have a very bad habit of letting other things pull me away and then I never end up finishing what's on my plate. I don't want that to happen again so I hope you'll continue to be patient for me, I really do appreciate that!**

**Sychotic:**** XD Any more cracks for me this time? Hehe, I don't mind, I love a good joke. Hehe, have I seriously gotten people attached to RainexRegal? It's a very guilty pleasure if so. Keyword guilty, I hate doing that to people XD (giggles) Hopefully I didn't keep you waiting too long for this update Sy, and I hope you like it too!**

**Maurice A. Nigma:**** Hey no worries, take as much time to read, write, or do whatever you need, I don't mind if I don't hear from you, as long as I know you're doing alright! Yeah, I can only see Sheena being able to kick his ass back into gear because she loves him but seems to also be willing to give him tough love when it's needed... I can only see them together. As for the rest of the cast, being together with their significant other is bound to change attitudes and personal habits, even if only a little. Raine has pride yes, but she has this quality of wanting the best for the people she loves even while she's a logical person. How she acted for Genis is a prime example. Zelos always had this shield about him, the frivolity and such... But I get a sense that Colette's purity, for lack of another word, would melt that facade and touch him. He's not as dense as people play at him, nor is he a real pervert. He's just him and Colette can both see, and appreciate that I like to think. Heh, I really enjoy talking to you about this stuff, you seem like a logical person who's open as well to debate and you can keep it friendly. I don't meet many people like you, so thanks!**

**Ahem, so two more chapters to come after this, I have made my decision XD The party, and then a surprise ending. XD (Why did I say surprise?) Dash the expectations people, it's me, I cannot even hope! Why do I keep laughing at myself... (Hehe...) Anyway, to keep up with the dedications... This chapter is dedicated to my faithful review Sychotic, keep pushing me to new heights my friend! Hehe. Enjoy, review if you feel the need, and please keep being patient with me, lol, I really appreciate it!**

**PS: A New World is in the works, I have nearly finished with my outline... After Jealousy is finished it will be my new project, and I hope it'll last good and long. No idea how many chapters it'll be, but that's the fun of it, I want it to go on for as long as it will because I like reading a long story and I love writing them even more! (Why else would this have gone for so long? XD)**

**Happily,**

**Sky **


	15. One Reflective Night

_Itsumo kokoro no doko ka,_

_dareka wo motometeita_

_konna watashi wo hitsuyou nanda to ittekureru._

* * *

"Would you please stay still Sheena? It's difficult enough to try and get your hair up on its own, even worse when you continuously fidget!" Raine grumbled in exasperation, swatting scoldingly at the ninja to get her to stop. At the end of the spacious room of the mansion, Colette was giggling as Presea worked through her blond hair with steady fingers, braiding the long locks with surprising patience and skill.

"I can't help it, it's weird..." Sheena mumbled pathetically, not moving her eyes from the floor. Though Colette and Presea seemed to really be enjoying themselves with the dressing up, she hadn't looked up once to see what Raine was doing to her hair. It wasn't an issue of trust, even though she had no idea what sort of skill the half-elven woman had with any sort of dressing, she was simply too embarrassed. "I don't like sitting still..."

"It's okay Sheena, you look great no matter what you do with your hair!" Colette chirped helpfully from where she sat, drawing the ninja's anxious gaze. Smiling so brightly that she could have lit up all of Tethe'alla, the Chosen glanced at her own reflection in the mirror that shot the same grin at Presea, continuing in a giggle, "Lloyd will think you're pretty even if you show up in your regular clothes!"

Raine couldn't help but snicker, the moment the words were out of Colette's mouth the summoner went ramrod straight and turned crimson. Her hands gentle as she combed through the girl's long dark hair, the professor explained calmly, "She has a point. It's a day for getting a little primped, for lack of a better word. We're all uncomfortable to varying degrees, but the point of it is we get to enjoy ourselves. Just relax. You don't need to look in the mirror if it makes you feel worse."

She said nothing, knowing if she did it would make no sense anyway. Instead she simply continued to stare at the ground, closing her eyes as Raine made a silent but affectionate fuss over her hair. She could hear Colette's girlish laughter and Presea's soft giggles, every so often punctuated by Raine's motherly chuckle. 'It feels... so normal...'

"Professor, who's going to do _your_ hair for tonight?" Colette asked curiously, drawing both Sheena and Presea's gaze as the question occurred to them as well. Tilting her head just a little so Presea wouldn't have a hard time fixing her braid, the angel watched as a hint of pink stole over the professor's moonlit skin.

"A-Actually, I think I'm going to keep it as is... There isn't really much you can do with my hair anyway." Raine answered as calmly as she could, though she saw Sheena lift one eyebrow, her expression disbelieving yet oddly amused. The professor froze for a second, knowing the little smile that was lifting Sheena's lips. She had worn that smile only a few days ago, the knowing little grin that told everything without words. She let out a soft sigh, shaking her head once as she continued to fix Sheena's hair, murmuring quietly to the ninja, "So our positions have reversed...? Now _this_ is embarrassing."

"You think it's embarrassing? You haven't seen embarrassing." Sheena muttered back in what she hoped was a grumble, but her smile ruined the affect. Though she knew the other two were listening, the looked completely confused which gave her the courage to continue rather sheepishly, "When Lloyd and I walk in on you at the garden, then you can tell me that it's embarrassing."

Raine snorted once though she knew the statement had its merit, so she made no reply. She saw Colette and Presea trading baffled glances, which relieved the professor for a split moment. She pulled gently at the last strands of the ninja's dark hair, wrapping it slowly around itself before tying it into a tight but rather elegant looking bun. Finished and somewhat proud of herself, Raine tapped Sheena on the top of the head, commanding firmly, "Look up, tell me how you think it looks."

Hesitant, Sheena risked a peek upwards before her mouth fell open with a soft pop. The woman looking back at her in the mirror wore a surprised expression, a hint of pink colouring her cheekbones, topaz eyes wide and startled. Two golden hoops hung from her ears, accentuating the creamy tone of her skin and matching with the clip that held the bangs on her left in place, allowing the dark tresses to curve around the right side of her face. "Oh..."

"Wow Sheena... You look great. You're not even wearing much make-up!" Colette exclaimed in delight, clapping her hands once to express her joy. When Sheena turned to stare at her, the petite angel managed to smother her giggles at the awestruck look on the ninja's face. 'She seems really surprised at what Professor Sage did.' "You look so pretty."

"She does look very attractive." Presea agreed with a small smile, finding a strange amusement in watching the colour of the summoner's face darken. Her complete surprise was rather endearing, as though she couldn't believe the reflection in the mirror was her own. Turning her attention back to Colette in a vain attempt to hide her smile, she added somewhat wistfully, "I'm afraid I'm not nearly as skilled as Raine is at this sort of thing, I hardly know what I'm doing..."

"Presea, you should give yourself more credit." Raine scolded the young hunter in an affectionate tone, looking at the braid that was nearly completed. The Chosen's wavy blond hair had been aptly tamed into a straightened plait, and though she had yet to have any makeup applied, Raine could already see the change in Colette. 'She's truly going to look much older when Presea finishes with her... She's always looked like such a child, when in all reality, she is a young woman...' "Colette looks beautiful, I'm sure when you're done she will be enchanting. Perhaps she'll even attract a few charmers."

"I'd like to see that." Sheena laughed under her breath, drawing the very confused gazes of her friends. Snickering still, she attempted to find a way to phrase the meaning in her odd words. A hand over her face to hide her embarrassment, glee and amusement, she explained through her fingers, "I mean, I'd like to see how Zelos would react to Colette being fawned over. I wonder if it'd tick him off."

"H-He wouldn't get like that!" Colette exclaimed in a much more louder voice than she intended, feeling the heat of her blush burning at her face. Though she wouldn't admit it aloud, she had watched on with envy at the show as other women, clearly of higher status than her, flirted with the redhead in ways that she couldn't, seeming to be so confident in what they did and how they carried themselves. 'I'm nothing like that... He wouldn't care if someone, or _anyone_ looked at me I'm sure...'

"I don't know, I think Zelos has a jealous side to him..." Sheena cajoled gently, watching with unmistakable pleasure as Colette hid her face in her hands, mumbling incoherently. A part of her winced in sympathy, telling her mind that she herself had been that girl only a few days before. 'Strange to think like that, it seems like it's been like this forever...'

Deciding to save the already flustered Chosen, Presea fixed a red ribbon around the end of the girl's braid, saying calmly, "Well regardless of that, I'm glad to know that my work is appreciated. I haven't had a look at your dress yet, so I'm not sure how to coordinate anything..."

"I'm sure it's going to be radically different for each of us, the king did say they would be specifically made." Raine waved off the suggestion with one hand, smiling as she noticed Sheena's anxious expression. She was still risking peeks at the mirror when she thought no one was looking, though the professor knew it was pure surprise and not ego that was making her look at herself. Pretending that she hadn't seen that, she continued genially, "Now I'm wondering what the boys will be wearing... I'm sure it's going to be a very extravagant affair if Tethe'alla's royalty will all be there."

"Well yes, if it's to be held at the reception centre... Only the finest in Tethe'alla attend those sort of get-togethers..." Presea nodded, stepping back once to get a good view of the finished braid that fell down the angel's back. Her lips twitched and the corners raised a little, and she commented idly, "It's strange to feel excited about it, considering I've never even traded more than five words with any royalty before... It will be an awkward event."

"Yes I believe it will be... Though this party is being held for us really, since we did save Princess Hilda from the hands of the Pope." Raine added with a small smile, watching as both Colette and Sheena turned a shade of pink and looked away. Laughing quietly, she gently lay her hand on top of the ninja's head, scolding quietly, "You all did your part to save the princess. We can't forget how much we've already done and also what we still have yet to do."

Colette paused, looking up to see the unfathomable expression on the professor's face. Her eyes were lowered and lips thinned, but there was a strange ferocity that coloured her irises and gave her a new strength. Quietly, she echoed her teacher's words, "She's right... We've... We _have_ done a lot already... We do have a lot more to do too, but we can't forget how far we've already walked..."

"Yeah... It's important to remember all of that..." Sheena agreed with a rueful smile, feeling the stinging pain of her memories as they fought against the confirmation of her friends' words. The past was something she had spent most of her life running from, it had only been quite recently that she accepted it and allowed it to become part of her, as it always had been. "We've walked a long way... Taking the time to realize that and to take a well-deserved break, even if it's only for a week... It's... It's okay."

"Something we forget all too often is that despite how much we've lived through, all of us are still human." Raine commented quietly, ignoring the stinging whip-like pain that echoed in her chest, reminding her that she wasn't human. Slightly amused at herself for allowing the conversation to turn so serious so suddenly, she murmured under her breath, "A journey never feels as long as it does until you turn around and look at where you started when you finish..."

"Well just turning around now makes me feel like I've crossed a mountain or two, maybe even three." Colette joked softly, catching the way Presea smiled at the analogy. Her hand went to her throat, gently touching the key crest that subdued her Cruxis Crystal. Thinking of it now was oddly surprising, it did seem like it had been so long ago that she had been standing in the temple to receive the oracle. "Here's been just so much... So many faces in and out of our lives, so many roads we've travelled... It's kind of funny thinking about it, I never expected to be here today, sitting with my friends and talking about trivial things..."

"Your life was always yours to do what you will with it. Lloyd has taught us all that." Presea said simply, not raising her eyes from the finished braid, absently tucking a wisp of hair back into it every now and then. Needing something to do with her hands, she began to toy with her own hair, continuing quietly, "Though we also have the others to thank because if even one of us wasn't here today, it wouldn't be the same... We wouldn't be the same."

"As much as I'd like to say it would've been a lot quieter without Zelos, you're right." Sheena agreed with a rueful grin, glancing up to see Colette's shy smile and Raine's acknowledging grin. Their words all held truth and sincerity, something that both calmed her and raised a strange feeling that made it difficult to breathe. "It just wouldn't have been the same without anyone."

"It's so easy to forget that when you're travelling, so hellbent on accomplishing your next task and nothing else..." Raine mused aloud, leaning back on the balls of her feet and letting out a quiet sigh of resignation. She had felt it all hit her firsthand when she was alone in the tower, watching as Presea had to forcibly drag Genis into the far room. It had hit her all then, she would die as her friends had, as many innocents before her had even though their hope was continuing on. The adrenalin was gone, there was only an empty and aching acceptance that brought tears to her eyes, even now. "Life is so fragile, so fleeting... Emotions seem trivial but in reality, what we've been holding onto all this time, love, hope... Without that, we would have all failed a very long time ago."

"I don't want to think of failure." Colette spoke up quietly, her voice turning firm and brittle as her hand curled into fists in her lap. When Sheena and Presea looked at her, their expressions mirrored hers, a new resolve that hardened their faces into a strange and reckless smile. "There won't be a failure. We won't let it happen because we've gone too far and done too much to fail."

"Heh... That's a perfect way of thinking Colette." Presea stifled a low chuckle between her teeth, though she agreed with the Chosen's confident words despite her logic warring with it. The conviction could easily be broken, the iron will smashed, but she had learned time and time again that even allowing the thought of failure to enter a mind brought the reality too close for comfort. There would be no failure. A bit of a smile lifting her lips, the tiny hunter added playfully, "However this party may end up being a failure if we don't get into the formal wear, we only have an hour before we're expected to appear at the hall."

"Jizou, are we seriously that late?!" Sheena jumped with a muttered oath, causing Raine to start laughing before she cut herself off when she too realized the time. Laughing and not entirely sure why, the summoner was on her feet and grinning at the startled Raine and Colette, her topaz eyes flashing as they met the genial ones of Presea's. "C'mon then, we can't let something this small turn out badly because we couldn't stop gossiping. The boys would never let us live it down, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Correct."

"Absolutely. Let's get going then!"

* * *

_Hiroi kono sora no shita,_

_sonna hitori aetara,_

_sukoshi dake jishin wo motte ikeru ki ga shiteru kara._

* * *

"Damn, I really can't breathe in this thing, why the hell do they need to dress us up in this garbage?" Lloyd grunted unhappily, yanking at his collar as he watched Zelos adjusting his bow-tie with an odd grin. The redhead's normally wild hair was straightened and slick, tied in an odd braid that, matching with his white and black outfit, made him look more professional than Lloyd had ever seen him. Unsure of what he was doing as his collar choked the air from him, he groaned, "Zelos help me out here, I've gotta have it on wrong!"

Zelos turned his head from the mirror, rolled his eyes and then left it to attend to their impromptu leader. The boy's collar was done up ridiculously tight, cutting off his air supply. With another roll of his eyes, Zelos loosened the ruff and adjusted it to better suit the boy, teasing him, "You back country hick, of course you wouldn't know what to do with formal wear. I'm just surprised you didn't put it on backwards."

"Zelos, do you ever stop teasing people?" Genis asked with raised eyebrows, fiddling just a little with his own bow-tie until he was sure it had been tied perfectly. He smoothed out the creases in his light brown pants, pulling at the dark blue sleeves of his dress shirt as he continued, "Besides, we're all going to the same party as you are, you don't have to get a narcissistic complex...." He smiled to himself then added almost as an afterthought, "or a worse one anyway."

"Considering that you're totally dressed up for Easter Sunday, brat, you don't have the right to heckle me about anything." Zelos replied carelessly, straightening the boy's collar before he turned to see Genis' scowl. Smirking a little, he continued cheekily, "Maybe Presea will dance with you tonight."

"Zelos..." Regal's baritone voice rung out warningly behind the Chosen's shoulder, and Genis watched with some satisfaction as he immediately closed his mouth and scrambled off back towards the mirror. Regal cast Genis a sly wink before he nodded his head politely and asked somewhat awkwardly, "Genis, I understand this may be a foolish request, but would you mind fastening the buckle on my shirt? I... I am having some trouble."

"Yeah sure, I'll do it Regal." Genis agreed with a chuckle, fixing the straps as quickly as possible to avoid embarrassing the duke any further. He noticed the man wasn't meeting his eyes, but chalking it up to awkwardness, the young mage added in an undertone, "Thanks for getting Zelos away from me, I didn't want to cast Fireball on him and burn my shirt in the process, y'know?"

Regal chuckled once before he caught himself, shaking his head and giving the young half-elf a nod. He glanced over at Lloyd who was grumbling oaths under his breath as he tried to find some order to his suit, commenting with amusement, "Why is it that only Lloyd is having trouble with his dress wear?"

"It's Lloyd." Genis answered quietly, though he couldn't stop himself from laughing under his breath the entire time. He was pleased to see Regal smiling as well, the older man looked much younger when he allowed himself to smile in their midst. Nodding towards the fully dressed Zelos, he added conspiratorially, "Do you think he'd notice if I set him on fire though? Or Lloyd for that matter? It'd be kinda funny to see them show up at the party with singed clothes..."

"Your sister would very well beat you if she heard you speaking like that." Regal replied with a slight smile, his chest warming considerably the moment he thought of the half-elven professor. It had only happened a few short hours ago that they had shared such a passionate time in the room together, yet it still felt like he was just pulling away from her gentle hands. Reminding himself harshly that he was standing with his lover's younger brother, he managed to shake the smile from his face before he continued somewhat sheepishly, "She was saying that it is a very important event we cannot afford to miss..."

"True enough... I don't want anymore of Raine's punishment." Genis agreed with a weak grin, painfully reminded of being caught in the Martel Temple with Lloyd. Wincing as the pain came back to him, the young wizard turned his eyes to Lloyd as he fixed the belts around his waist, adjusting his swords with a sort of tenderness. Coughing a little, he casually tugged at his own collar, mumbling under his breath, "Mind telling me what Zelos meant when he said I looked like I was dressed up for 'Easter Sunday'?"

"Ah, Easter Sunday is a holiday celebrated by young children in Mizuho." Regal answered automatically, jolted somewhat from his wandering thoughts. Looking at the curious and somewhat indignant Genis, he added, "I don't know very much about it, perhaps you should ask Sheena when you see her tonight. I'm sure she can tell you everything she knows about it."

"Did someone just say something about Sheena?" Lloyd asked suddenly, completely distracted from his business with his belts as he heard her name. Genis started to laugh almost immediately at his distraction, but ignoring that, Lloyd rolled the ends of his sleeves properly and asked again, "Seriously, who said her name?"

"That was me." Regal admitted as another smile stretched at his face. He had been smiling quite more often these days. Lloyd had finally finished adjusting his formalwear, and despite himself, the duke allowed himself a moment to tease his younger comrade. "Lloyd, those clothes suit you, in a strange way. You almost look like you could be a member of the royal family."

"You know I can never tell if you're joking." Lloyd shot back, though the grumble was lost in his grin as he recognized the warm light in Regal's eyes. It almost felt as though he was looking into a mirror, he knew that warmth, it was simply the heat of a love recognized and returned. Glancing down at the white ensemble, he lifted his sheepish face to Regal and then asked, "You really think so? I feel kinda stupid in this getup. It's really stiff..."

"Of course it's stiff, it's formal wear. If it was all loose and ragged like our normal clothes, it wouldn't make us look nearly as respectable." Zelos lectured the young twin swordsman with a wave of his hand, stretching his legs slowly and absently as he regarded the bouquet of roses that adorned the change room in the palace. The girls were in the opposite room, and they were leaving at separate times to ensure they wouldn't meet the others and see their outfits, a surprise of sorts the princess had insisted upon. 'Hmm...' "Stop worrying Lloyd, you'll be out of it by the end of the night."

"Thank Martel for small miracles, I don't even want to leave this room in this thing!" Lloyd groaned, yanking once more at his collar. The red fabric at his neck was coarse and itched something fierce, but he tried to ignore it anyway because he knew it only looked better if he left it alone. "It's so itchy!"

"Heh, you'll get used to it Lloyd. You probably won't even feel it by the time we get to the hall." Genis told him somewhat sympathetically, pulling at the hem of the dark blue shirt he was wearing. It itched as it rubbed against his bare skin, but he had caught one glimpse of himself in the mirror and though he felt ridiculous, there was a hint of ego bubbling through that. He looked better than he had ever felt beforehand, and if he felt that way it certainly couldn't be all that horrible. "Just try to think of something else."

"Like what?" Lloyd complained, gesturing unhappily to Regal and Zelos. Both of them seemed completely at ease with themselves despite the garments they wore, as though it was nothing new to them. Though he knew that while Zelos was probably used to these sort of parties, Regal had spent an ample amount of time in prison. 'I guess after a prison uniform you really couldn't care less what you're wearing...'

"Think about how the hunnies will fawn over you, the princess' saviour?" Zelos suggested with what looked like an uncaring shrug. Lloyd's eyes flashed unhappily, but the corners of his mouth softened anyway as he thought of the one woman he was truly looking forward to seeing. Zelos, despite himself, understood that look, as he felt it too. He had lost interest in the women that flocked to him, the women he never truly cared about anyway. 'I seriously couldn't wait to get away from them to be with Colette... I guess it's too late to stop the change...'

"I don't think _anyone_ but _you_ wants to think about _that_." Genis commented sarcastically, rolling his eyes and exchanging a knowing glance with Regal. The duke was trying and failing to hide his amused expression, so he simply turned around under the pretense of fixing his clothes. Looking back at Lloyd, he suggested half-heartedly, "Maybe you could dance with Sheena?"

"I don't know how to dance." Lloyd said it as though it was a question and not a statement, feeling a rugged heat beginning in his neck. He'd never thought of it, and immediately felt foolish. 'What am I supposed to _do_ at a party anyway? I obviously can't stand around, but I don't even know how to dance!'

"It is not that difficult Lloyd, and I doubt you will be dancing at all tonight with Sheena." Regal waved away Lloyd's doubts with a small smile, not meaning the inference that Zelos read. The swordsman was snickering into his hand, and only was silent when he received a deadly glare from both the duke and Genis. Ignoring them, the duke continued patiently, "Sheena does not enjoy these sorts of gatherings... She would most likely try to hide herself in the background."

"Well I know how she feels, I don't want anybody seeing me in this thing!" Lloyd grumbled again, gesturing to his outfit for the fifth time since he'd gotten it. Sighing wearily, he adjusted his swords and then turned his head to get a glimpse of the back of his pants before he pulled a face. "I'm never wearing this stuff ever again..."

"But you're always wearing what your dad made for you, maybe it's good to get a change." Zelos laughed, ducking Lloyd's good-natured swing at his head with another laugh. The twin swordsman was chuckling at him, giving the redheaded Chosen a different sense of completion that was vaguely familiar. He'd felt it around Colette, a sort of welcoming warmth that let him know he was accepted, and now he felt it here as he joked with Lloyd and the others. 'Heh...' "C'mon, it's just for one night, then you can burn it if you want to."

"Will you be burning yours?" Lloyd questioned with a raised eyebrow, seeing Genis nodding vehemently out of the corner of his eyes. He had to admit the idea was very enticing, and he was trying not to laugh as he imagined the glee on his best friend's face as he burned his outfit. 'We could make a party out of it really...'

"I do not know truthfully, I would rather take a perverse pleasure in burning mine but I may have need of it in the future." Regal answered with a resigned note, looking at himself in the mirror with a grimace. Though he knew it was better than anything else he'd previously worn, he still had no love for the stiff collars and coarse fabric. He had never been a fan of the royalty or any of those who flocked to them. "I guess I may very well have to keep mine..."

"Why burn these though, they're probably worth a fortune if you sell 'em to the right people..." Zelos shrugged casually, plucking casually at the fabric of his shirt, doing the math in his head easily. He could already guess how much the suits themselves would have cost to be made, and with a wry grin he added, "We could always use more Gald."

"Heh, Zelos actually has a point." Genis remarked with a snicker, only to be clipped around the ear by the Chosen before he had a chance to duck. Rubbing at the back of his head, the mage cast a dirty look at the male before he grumbled, "I actually said something nice about you and you still hit me. That's so no fair."

"You said it in a bratty tone, brat." Zelos answered with a smirk, watching Lloyd cover a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. Barely able to stop himself from chuckling, he winked at the young half-elf and added pleasantly, "But thanks anyway for the compliment, nice to know that even you can concede to the great Zelos."

"I see what you mean about his narcissistic qualities." Regal said with a straight face, though he watched as both Lloyd and Genis burst out laughing and had to duck away from the indignant Chosen's wrath. Chuckling a little to himself, he glanced up at the clock and shook his head as he realized the time. The girls had left only ten minutes beforehand if they were on schedule, which only gave them a short amount of time before they too would be leaving.

Smiling a little, he glanced over at the fighting threesome and wondered idly, 'Is it true...? All of us have matured somewhat over the course of this journey... We all are new men and women... We all have grown.'

* * *

_Kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku,_

_soredake de fuan na kokoro,_

_yasashii koe de namae wo yonde_

_tada sore dake ii no._

* * *

It was surprisingly loud, something the tiny hunter had not expected when she entered the spacious hall with her three comrades. Colette looked as honestly startled as she did, while Raine hd an expression of mild interest, Sheena however seemed both bored and terrified at the same time, and was the first to bolt from their group. Soon enough both Colette and Raine left her as well, leaving the little hunter to stay by the entrance, taking in her surroundings with bland curiosity.

She lost count of the guests somewhere around two-hundred-and-thirty-nine, and with a little sigh her arms closed around her waist. The frilly navy fabric of her dress brushed irritatingly against her arms, and she absently plucked at the white trim on her sleeves as her eyes ghosted over the crowd. She still didn't understand the real reason for their attendance despite the explanations she had received, and so with a little sigh, she abandoned her rationality and decided to watch the people.

She smiled a bit to herself when she noticed a couple beside the wall, the man leaning down to whisper something into the young woman's ear. She laughed aloud, her giggle swept from Presea's acute ears in the storm of babble from the crowd. The man offered the woman his arm, and she took it without hesitation, the two dodging the other noblemen and women for the door, escaping into the darkening night.

'Something so simple would have made no sense to me a long time ago...' She found herself thinking, watching as the door sighed shut, giving no evidence to the two escaped lovers. 'However now... I find myself understanding their wish to be away from the others and the senseless chatter, to simply spend _time_ together... These concepts are still so hard to understand, yet I... I find myself beginning to comprehend...'

"Hey P-P-Presea!"

Her lips quirked without an order, and she turned around to see the very red face of the young mage she had been spending most of her time with. His crystal blue eyes were looking everywhere but her face and he was continuously wringing his hands, but despite that, she was happy to see him. "Genis... I am glad you are here."

"You w-weren't hard to find..." Genis tried, coughing over his words, still desperately looking anywhere but her face. He had been somewhat proud to say he wasn't nearly as clumsy as he had used to be around the axeman, but it seemed as though all of his hard work had fled him. Still stammering, he added, "I m-mean, you l-l-look really p-p-pretty in that dress!"

"Oh..." Presea was startled to feel a strange new heat building in her face to the compliment, as though her cheeks had become inflamed. Brushing the irrational thought aside, she barely had time to think before a memory came flashing back to her, shocking her entire body into stillness. _"You're... p... p...pretty."_ 'Oh!'

"I feel k-kinda silly in mine... but you look c-cute..." Genis continued valiantly, not noticing the young girl's surprise as he still wasn't looking at her face. His shoes seemed much more interesting and wouldn't judge him as he stammered along in a vain attempt to seem somewhat sane. "N-Not that you don't look c-c-cute all the time, I'm just saying you look really c-cute in what you're wearing now!"

'He called me pretty...' Presea didn't know why she was smiling so widely, or what it was that was causing her skin to crackle with electricity. Her body was on a sort of auto-pilot, not taking directions as it moved on its own to do its own will, which she didn't understand. It was a simple compliment, yet her delight had sprung so high that before she could even think of what she was doing, her lips had pressed softly against his cheek.

Genis wasn't too sure what had just happened, all he was aware of was a soft pressure on his left cheek, followed by a giggle he knew and cherished. His hand flew up to press the spot where her mouth had touched his skin and in shock, he stared into the dancing eyes of the pink-haired girl he had long ago fallen in love with. "H-H-H-_Huh_?!"

"Ah.... I, uh..." Presea, as equally shocked as he half-elven companion, could only stare at him as he held his cheek like she'd burned him. Her lips felt hot, and without a word she raised her fingers to touch them, very aware that she was shivering from head to toe. 'What did I... Where did _that_...? H-How...?' He said nothing, merely stared straight ahead into her shocked face, his eyes a mirror of her own.

Her instincts kicked in as her rational mind disappeared from her altogether, and they demanded one simple order as she stood completely still and stunned. _Flee_. Her body had already twisted around, ready to dash and to where, she still didn't know. She never had a chance to even take the first step however, a small hand closed around her wrist and jerked her backwards with more force than she knew that hand possessed.

Genis knew he had probably crossed a line, though in the same thought, he knew they had been crossing lines for longer than they'd have ever admitted. His hand tight around Presea's wrist, he yanked her backwards and was surprised when she nearly fell into his chest. He had no words, he didn't even know if his mind was running fast enough to even form them, so he did the only thing he could think of.

Warm lips touched her own, and for one heart-stopping moment, Presea felt everything simply stop. She heard nothing but a loud static buzz in her ears, and then the steady thumping as her heart began to beat again. It was a chaste kiss, the contact only lasted for one second, but even then, the room around her was spinning so hard she couldn't keep her feet.

"P-Presea..."

She swallowed as he stared at her, a mirroring expression of horror and bewilderment transforming his youthful face. It had struck her so intensely that for a moment, she'd forgotten everything that held her aloof from the rest of them, from _him_ especially. She was no longer twenty-eight years old, she no longer had suffered from the experimental process of the Cruxis Crystal, she was a young girl in the arms of an equally as young boy.

He couldn't find his words, staring back into the suddenly terrified eyes of the hunter he'd cherished long before he knew it. His hands were still resting on her shoulders and both of them were panting as though they'd just ran a sprint. The emotion was fierce in her eyes, changing the stoic face he was so used to. Her lips were quivering as they tried to find words, her eyes wide and stunned, reflecting the emotion he was struggling with.

He forgot too, in that strange moment of staring into her eyes and seeing himself reflected in that gentle cerulean, he had a moment of flashing clarity. He wasn't a half-elf, nor was he a magic-user, for one striking moment he was a boy who knew nothing of the world. Then, as quickly as it had come, the moment was gone, leaving him as confused as ever.

"Genis, I... I'm..." She tried again, not knowing why she wanted to apologize, or why she had wanted to run in the first place. His small hands felt so ridiculously warm against her clothed skin, and without thinking she raised her own to curl around his wrists. Her voice low, she found the fear swirling in her chest and held it tight in her heart as she murmured to him, "Genis, there's something I have been meaning to tell you... H-However, I... I've been afraid."

"Presea, you _never_ have to be afraid. I... I'll protect you." Genis knew he had spoken those words before, they seemed to repeat endlessly in his head whenever she was near. However, he drew those words from a different place now, somewhere deeper that he still didn't recognize but believed in anyway. "I promise, I _will_ protect you."

"Genis..." She began almost in an exasperated tone, before she stopped completely in her tracks. She had told him, she wasn't sure how many times, that she did not need his protection. For all rights, she was fairly sure that _she_ could protect _him_ under the circumstances. She paused however, almost drawing her lips into a shaky smile. 'I... I want his protection... more than ever, I want him to see me as I am, who I... who I truly am.' "Genis... The Exsphere... It... It was attached to me sixteen years ago."

He didn't need any more words to understand what she was trying to tell him, his brain did the math without a conscious order. At first there was nothing, a curiously empty sensation then he realized what it meant. 'Her age... Her 'real' age doesn't matter to me... I don't care how old she is.' That moment was enough to shake the girl, but he moved quickly to embrace her as though she had always belonged there. He was surprised how his nervousness seemed to fade away from him, as though it had never truly existed inside of him in the first place. Quietly, his voice so low only she could hear it as he whispered into her ear, "I don't care about that Presea... It doesn't matter to me how old you are... I'll still care about you anyway... Always."

"Thank you..." She clung to him and buried her face in the front of his shirt, feeling for the first time, the sting of pleasant tears in the corners of her eyes. She had cried before, but only in solitude, too scared to let the others see what she had relived along with her recovered emotions. This, however, was different. Two arms, as thin as hers yet still as strong held her now, forming a cage that offered both protection and something else, a warm and kind feeling that she had come to identify over the past few days. A strange feeling that could both scare and ease someone with just a few words. Love.

* * *

_Itsumo kokoro no doko ka,_

_anata wo sagashiteita,_

_konna watashi wo sono mama de ii to ittekureta hito._

* * *

Raine smiled a little to herself, lazily swirling the last remains of the amango champagne in her glass before she finished it off with a quick gulp. The alcohol burned at her tongue and threatened to make her cough, but with surprising self-control, she hid it and continued to watch her younger brother.

He had pulled away slightly from the little hunter, offering her his arm as though he was truly a nobleman. She smiled, a real warm grin as she linked hers with his, allowing herself to be led away into the dance floor. Soon the two were lost in the dozens of swaying bodies, and with a soft laugh, the half-elven woman switched her now empty glass with a full one.

The alcohol did nothing to her system, something that both mildly surprised and disappointed her. She had hoped it would give her a boost of courage and perhaps settle her nerves, but she was still as shaky as a leaf being blown in the wind. She, like so many others, had stuck to the wall in a vain hope of fading into the background, settling for watching the others instead of joining in with the chaos around her.

A low voice chuckled just to her left, and she fought to hide a smile as the large man stood beside her. Not raising her eyes even though her curiosity was starting to perk up, she asked casually, "How did you find me? I was hoping to blend in."

"You cannot hide from me." Regal answered her simply, his mouth stretching into a smile as she giggled. She was lazily tracing the rim of her cup with her pinky finger, gazing into the crowd while her lips tweaked in the most absent of ways. Knowing that she could probably see him, he couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at her to scrutinize her outfit.

The white dress ended just below her knees, accentuating her long legs and the curves of her body. However those were hidden by the navy top she was wearing, giving the impression of a half of a suit while hugging her body in all of the right places ever so subtly. Unable to stop the smile from reaching his face, he complimented her politely, "You look extravagant Raine..."

"Extravagant?" Raine repeated with a bit of a grin, raising one eyebrow and she turned her head to glance appraisingly at her companion. The olive green suit he wore seemed to fit him in a strangely mannish way, giving hints to his chiselled physique without defining anything. His handcuffs, the symbol of so much about him, were hidden by the long sleeves, but the professor's keen eyes saw the glint of metal between his wrists. Casually, as though she wasn't even noticing the change in his appearance, she took a sip of the drink and added, "I like that word much better than what Zelos called me earlier... 'Glamourous Beauty', really... The hound."

"I could sort him out for you if he continues to irk you." Regal offered half-seriously, watching as her eyes sparkled with amusement and the prickle of annoyance was gone as quickly as it had come. Nodding towards her glass, she handed it to him without hesitation and allowed him to finish it off in one go, stifling a laugh as he did so. Chuckling himself at the sound of her laughter, he told her gently, "You do look beautiful, Raine... Your dress suits you."

"If you mean that I look more like a scholar than a woman, I suppose you're right, but coming from you I'll take that as a compliment." Raine teased light-heartedly, angling her body towards him to make sure he caught her smile. He did and returned it, the simple gesture sending a plume of warmth through her blood. Tilting her head a little, she continued playfully, "So, keeping up with the fashion, I guess I'll need to tell you that you look quite handsome also."

"That's definitely better than being called a dandy." Regal muttered under his breath, though Raine heard him anyway and almost immediately burst into quiet but forceful giggles at his side. Though he knew that the Chosen had only meant it as an affectionate insult, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed anyway. He could hear Lloyd muttering about burning the outfits, and he added sourly, "Yes, I will most definitely be burning this as soon as the night is over..."

She said nothing, just continued to smile as she unconsciously scanned the crowd of dancers to see her little brother. He was nowhere to be found, and while it gave her a sharp stabbing ache of worry, she couldn't help but feel at ease when Regal was at her side. He noticed her preoccupation, and with a soft sigh, she explained, "Genis and Presea were talking just a few minutes ago before they left to dance... I wonder how they're faring."

"I'm sure they're both just fine, they can take care of themselves... I also doubt that your younger brother will allow anyone to ruin the night considering how close he's become with Presea." Regal soothed her as only he could, with both logic and a gentleness that only she could hear in his deep voice. As he spoke he had cleared the distance between them, so her shoulder was pressing against his chest, and his mouth was brushing the top of her hair. "I think everything has finally become settled in our little group."

"Hah, whoever would've have thought it would've been!" Raine exclaimed with a snort, rolling her eyes when Regal raised his eyebrows in surprise. Explaining before he could put his expression to words, she waved her hand in a vague gesture as she spoke, "Well consider the facts... Sheena was too timid to confess her feelings to Lloyd, who was rather dense about the whole affair. Colette pined almost her entire life for the boy before she finally realized what her love truly was, and all the while was accidentally softening the heart of the philander Chosen we've all become oddly fond of. Then Genis, a hopeless boy finally managed to melt away the fear of emotional attachments in Presea. It's been one hell of a miracle, this vacation."

"That is very true." Regal agreed with a small smile, following his lover's gaze into the crowd, trying to sort through the bodies of dancers to find the two companions. Not having any luck, he watched as Raine shook her head with a resigned sigh, leaning back against the wall almost in defeat. Concerned, he leaned closer and asked softly, "Raine...?"

"Only yesterday I was sitting in Palmacosta with my book on the ruins of Triet and he was pulling at my pantleg, begging me to play with him outside." Raine murmured in an almost wistful tone, a sad smile raising her lips as she scanned the crowd for any sign of the young boy she loved so dearly. "Just yesterday he was learning how to walk, saying his first words... He was just an infant only yesterday. Time has flown far too fast for my liking."

"He is still your little brother." Regal told her firmly, not liking the way she was frowning, hugging herself as though she was about to collapse where she stood. Carefully he lifted his arms and lowered them over her head, drawing her into a warm hug while nuzzling into her hair. "Time flows quickly but facts do not change. You will always be his older sister and he will always be the newborn child you raised and loved all those years."

Raine sighed shakily, allowing her body to tremble and she leaned into his embrace while closing her eyes. His arms were comfortably tight around her body, and he was murmuring incoherent words into her hair to soothe her stress. Letting go another sigh, the professor murmured quietly, "I know what you're saying is correct... He will forever remain my little brother, but it's just so strange to watch him grow. I'm proud of him, of all of his great accomplishments but it leaves me aching to think that soon he won't need me as much as he used to. I'm so stupid..."

"You've been both his sister and mother for so long, it's natural for the two roles to intertwine." Regal scolded her gently, not liking the bitter tone she was using as she scolded herself. Nudging her forehead with his own, he waited until she looked up at him before he spoke again. "He has said so himself, that you have been both a sister_ and_ a mother to him during his life, do you think something as simple as aging will change that?"

Raine paused, biting back her instinctive rebuttal with a bittersweet taste in her mouth. He was right, she knew this and couldn't fight that logic, yet something still cried out in her, had been crying out in her the moment he had made a decision without her. There was more than ache, it was nearly a scream inside of her, something completely irrational yet welcoming at the same time. Laughing quietly at her own lack of knowledge, she mumbled softly, "My question is why do I have to have you tell me this when I should already know it all..."

"You are learning to be a parent, that is a process that never ends." Regal chuckled at her sad expression, knowing that she would never be pleased until she had finished this lesson. He knew already that the lesson would last her entire lifetime, as each parent's experience had been before and after her. "You will trip, and you will make mistakes along your journey... However, you will also learn with each time that you stumble, and never make that mistake again in your lifetime. You are well on your way to becoming a mother that you wished you had had when you where a child, and to becoming a mother that your own children will be grateful for in the future."

Raine blinked once, twice, then felt her cheeks reddening as she read between the lines of Regal's warm speech. He seemed to have caught his own words too and seemed properly stunned, and before she knew what she was doing, she had turned in his arms and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. "Now _that_, I was not expecting... But thank you anyway..."

"Ah... I suppose there's no way out of that particular blunder is there?" Regal asked with a weak chuckle, feeling both the warmth of her svelte body pressing against his own, and the flush in his face as his words nearly condemned him. He wouldn't lie, though he'd never given much thought to a future, his mistaken words had suddenly painted a fluorescent picture in his mind that nearly blinded him. Something out of his reach, yet not so far away that he couldn't see the images. He laughed softly to himself, ducking his face into her hair as he whispered, "I see you finally caught me in a checkmate..."

"It seems so, my love... Checkmate."

* * *

_Yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru,_

_anata ga warau kono sekai,_

_watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete,_

_mamoritai no negau no._

* * *

Zelos grinned as he spotted her, standing by one of the long tables, watching the dancing couples with a sort of wistful expression. Weaving through the crowd expertly, he caught her by the hand before she had a chance to see him, twirling her expertly into his arms. Her startled gasp melted into the giggle he loved as she nestled close, allowing him to take her hands as he pulled her slowly back onto the dance floor.

"You know I can't dance, Zelos... I'll look so silly." Colette mumbled in halfhearted protest, but she still let him hold her hands and sway slightly to the soft music playing by the band in the far corner.

"I can't dance either." Zelos told her with a chortle, finding her shocked look quite adorable. Leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose, he gently drew her closer, swaying slightly to the rhythm before he spun her in a lazy circle, only to draw her back into his arms a moment later. "It's just about listening to the music and forgetting everything else. Don't worry, angel."

"I-If you say so..." She sighed and did as he instructed. The music was lazy and gentle, giving her the strange impression that she was dancing on clouds. A piano hummed its chords gently, weaving into the woman's voice as smoothly as silk. Zelos twirled her again, and when she closed her eyes, it almost felt as though she was flying through the air. Her eyes widened in shocked delight when he pulled her back to him, and his replying grin told her that he had planned for this reaction.

"See? Nothing to get worried about. It's perfectly fine." Zelos grinned, watching as her braid twirled along with her, giving the impression that she was wearing a golden halo. The ivory dress contrasted magnificently with the strawberry red trim, splashing the colour onto her cheeks as she giggled. The way she smiled gave the illusion of her youth, even though her figure had yet to show her true womanly curves, she still looked beautiful to his eyes.

She gave another twirl, feeling exceptionally giddy as Zelos' warm chuckle mixed with her laughter. He was watching her with a strange fondness that left her feeling warm all over, and in an unconscious effort to avoid that, she looked around the crowd of people. Other dancers had moved unconsciously out of the way to give them room, leaving the two Chosen nearly in the centre of the dance floor. Colette went crimson in alarm, turned back to Zelos and hissed nervously, "Everyone's watching us! We took over the floor!"

"That's what people do when two dancers enjoy what they're doing." He chided softly, raising his hand from her waist to gently brush his gloved fingers along her cheek. He was arrogantly satisfied when more colour raised in her skin in the wake of his touch, and he quietly murmured, "Stop worrying so much Colette... It's okay to enjoy yourself here. The music's beautiful, the dance floor's ours for the taking, and it's just you and me right now."

Colette stopped her words mid-protest, feeling her heart give a loud and reassuring beat inside of her chest. His hands were strangely warm on hers as he pulled her close again, their chests now pressed tightly to each other. The embrace seemed natural to her, the way his arm curved just a little bit tighter around her waist, the laughing light softening until the cerulean in his eyes seemed almost liquid. "Okay."

She leaned against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder, a warm smile gracing her face. He watched this with a fondness he had become well accustomed to, the warmth in his heart no longer confused him as it had before. It hadn't taken him very long to understand that the healing light she radiated was softening the icy shield around his heart, was warming him until it was just too late. He had loved her before he had even understood why.

He kissed the crown of her hair, the action so natural she didn't even look up. They had stopped with the real dancing, now they were simply swaying together now as the floor crowded with more couples like them. He spotted Presea in the arms of the little mage, both seeming so blissful that they didn't notice the looks others were sending them. In the far corner, the professor was in the arms of the duke, watching the others with a fond exasperation that mirrored a strange wistfulness. It only took a few whispered words from Regal before she allowed herself to be led to the corner of the floor to join the dance as well.

He felt that contentedness settling deep in his bones again, the same warmth that had struck him while he was joking around with the others. There was a completion he had long ago forgotten as a child, a gentle feeling that enclosed him entirely. He knew the feeling, it was the same sort of love he felt whenever he was with Seles, and now the other members of his team now gave it to him now. In the wake of facing the truth about himself, he had also found the one place where he actually belonged and was wanted. He had a family.

She peeked up at him, seeing the silly grin he wore as he gazed out at something she couldn't see. When he noticed that she had moved, he immediately glanced down at her, wearing that carefree yet gentle smile that he reserved only for her. He raised a hand again, moving his fingers slowly along her bangs until she had turned crimson again. His smile broadened which only worsened her blush, and ducking her face into his chest, she mumbled softly, "Stop that please... You're making me blush..."

"I like it when you blush." Zelos told her cheerfully, and that only served to turn her creamy skin a shade of crimson that would've made the roses blush with envy. Chuckling, his thumb moved in lazy circles on her cheek, waiting until she leaned into his touch with a quiet sigh. "See...? It's alright to kick back and relax."

"I know... I just kinda feel awkward here." Colette admitted sheepishly, watching as Zelos raised one eyebrow in a disbelieving expression. Her words fled her mysteriously, and she stammered as she tried to find some way to explain herself. "I mean, everyone looks so nicely dressed up and so professional and–" He continued to stare at her like she had very well lost her mind, perhaps she had. Embarrassed, frightened, and nearly ready to bolt, she blurted, "Zelos, do you think I'm pretty?"

"Huh? Do I think you're pretty?" Zelos repeated in surprise, watching as the blond angel tore her hands away from him and buried her face in them. He said nothing for a long moment, confused as his mind went over everything first. 'Why would she ask that just out of the blue...?' He watched her intently, trying to scrutinize things he could not see working in her mind. 'Is she... Is she...?' A sudden smile lighting up his face as the realization struck like lightning, he gently placed a hand under her chin and answered her softly, "Colette, I don't think you're pretty. You're nowhere _near_ being pretty. You're beautiful."

"R-Really? Y-You think I'm.... You think I'm b-beautiful?" Colette stammered, no longer embarrassed but honestly stunned. He was grinning at her, the cheeky smile that didn't show a hint of a lie in his handsome face. Hesitantly, she returned the smile, looking down at her feet to hide her delight from him. "Oh... Hehe..."

"Colette, come here will ya?" Zelos laughed, tugging her back into his arms for the second time. She didn't fight him, instead she leaned into his chest with a happy sigh that sent warmth from his chest to the very tips of his fingers. His arms wound tightly around her, and once again they began to sway to the soft voice of the singer. Chuckling quietly, he rested his chin on the top of her hair and murmured quietly, "Y'know... I meant what I said back at the springs..."

"E-Eh? Y-You knew I was listening?" Colette asked sheepishly, too afraid to look up to see his expression. Blushing crimson, she hid her face in the ruffles from his white shirt, silently praying that he wouldn't be too angry with her for eavesdropping on what was supposed to be a private conversation. 'Oh no...'

"Yeah, I knew..." Zelos admitted with a hint of a smile, almost glad that she wasn't looking up to see the nervousness he was hanging onto. All he knew was his own conviction, and despite the mild and subtle signals he'd received, he still knew nothing concrete. Quietly, his voice like satin as he whispered into her hair, "I kinda didn't want to say anything because of that but in the end... It didn't matter. I want you to know. I want you to know that you're important to me, that I care more about you than I've ever cared about someone before."

She took a moment, completely floored as her feet moved robotically along to the music, her skirt swishing seductively through the air as he twirled her as calmly as could be. His hands were warm against her skin and his mouth felt gentle on the top of her hair, urging her to look up. She did and took in a soft breath at the sight of his impossibly warm and hopeful face.

She saw it, the love she'd ached to see in Lloyd's face for what had seemed like a lifetime. But this was different, she doubted that even if she had seen it, that it would have made her feel so happy. Her chest swelled until it felt like it'd burst, and she was blissfully unaware of her feet even being on the floor anymore. 'Yes... I knew it.' A timid smile on her face, she stood on tiptoe and touched her nose against his despite the blush that was growing through her entire form. "Thank you Zelos..."

"Don't thank me, angel... I ought to thank you..." Zelos murmured back watching as she shivered in pure pleasure as his lips barely touched her own as he spoke. Her arms were loose around his shoulders and her eyes closed in bliss, already prepared to accept whatever was left for them. He tilted his head just a little, his voice the barest of a whisper before their lips met, "I love you..."

* * *

_Taisetsu no mono shitta,_

_shinjiau koto wo shitta,_

_aisuru koto wo shitta no..._

* * *

To say she was hiding would have been an exaggeration, but she certainly had no intention of going into the crowd like her friends had. Sheena felt her lips twitch into a smile as she spied Zelos and Colette sharing a rather intimate moment on the dance floor below, and laughing quietly, she leaned onto the balcony railings and murmured to them quietly, "Congratulations... It's about time."

From the balcony she had an amazing view of the entire party, to the point where she barely even had to turn her head to see all four corners of the large hall. She had watched with a smug sort of pleasure as Genis danced with Presea, and as Raine let herself be captured by Regal's warm embrace time and time again. Only a few days ago she would have felt awkward just watching the exchanges, but it seemed all too natural to her now.

She heard the soft footsteps behind her but didn't move, already knowing who would dare to come upstairs to disturb her. She wasn't disappointed, a pair of strong arms wound themselves around her middle, followed by a gentle kiss to her exposed shoulder. Smiling to herself, she leaned back into the clothed chest of her lover and murmured quietly, "How'd you know I was up here?"

"Easy enough to guess. You did keep telling me you wanted to run off, so I figured if you hadn't already left you'd be up here." Lloyd answered with a chuckle, nuzzling into her neck to hear her giggle. Significantly pleased when she did, he rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in deep, the subtle perfume she wore sparking flames in his stomach. "Mmm... You smell good..."

"Th-Thanks." Sheena felt the telltale blush growing on her face at the lazy compliment, though she was well aware that it was nowhere as fierce as it would have been just a short while ago. She still marvelled at it, the changes that seemed so violent when she compared her life one year ago to where she was now. She twisted just a bit in his embrace, letting him now that she wanted to turn around to get a good look at him. When his embrace didn't loosen, she stifled a laugh of exasperation and asked, "Can I see how you look?"

"Nope, I don't want you to see me in this." Lloyd told her with a chortle, feeling her elbow gently poking at his ribcage, almost in warning. Grinning into her shoulder, he swayed lazily to the music from below and continued cheekily, "Though I don't mind you seeing me _out_ of it..."

"We're at a party." Sheena scolded him half-heartedly, though her fingertips had begun to buzz as the desire lit up her blood. Squirming just a little until his grip loosened enough, she spun in his arms and laughed when he glanced away with a red face. The white suit seemed to fit oddly well on him, accentuating his messy hair and his adust eyes. Grinning a little to herself, Sheena raised her hands to lazily run her fingers through his hair. Her smile grew when he closed his eyes and leaned into the treatment with a contented sigh. "You look handsome... Like a real hero."

Lloyd opened one eye, wearing a petulant expression that had her giggling in his arms. Deciding to try and keep the act going while he could manage to hold back his laughter, he asked sulkily, "So I guess that means I don't look like a hero all the time then? That kinda blows... I thought I was getting better at it."

"Lloyd..." Sheena attempted to stop giggling long enough to scold him, but she couldn't help it as he hung his head in a long pout. Dropping her hands to her sides, she grinned into his hangdog expression before standing on tiptoe to kiss him gently on the cheek. "C'mon... You know you're a hero no matter what you're wearing. You look handsome."

"Heh... It feels kinda silly when you tell me that straight out..." Lloyd chuckled almost in embarrassment, rubbing at the back of his neck as he glanced down at himself. He couldn't see what she saw in him, though he doubted he ever would be able to see the reasons she loved him. "So can I see how you look now?"

"Do you have to? If you feel stupid, I feel _really_ stupid..." Sheena mumbled wearily, but he only had to look at her before she gave up and took a dainty step back away from him. His eyes widened a little, and fighting the urge to cover herself up, she let her arms hang loosely at her side, looking away as the blush rose into her face.

"Whoa..." Lloyd whispered, blinking several times so he could try to process everything at once. The wine-coloured fabric hung around her body in all the right places, hugging her hips in a short skirt before arcing up her chest to loop around her neck. The long boots she wore hid her legs but the dress was enough of a consolation, revealing a diamond shaped portion of her middle to his hungry eyes. She had blushed again, unconsciously plucking at the golden band around her arm and avoiding his gaze sheepishly. Smiling darkly, he cleared the distance in one step and yanked her forward, murmuring against her neck, "You look _great_..."

"I feel like one of Zelos' hussies." Sheena mumbled against his shirt, though she couldn't stop the rush of pure pleasure at his gentle words. His hands gently settled on the small of her back, holding her close as he kissed along the bare skin of her neck and collarbone with a lazy absence. Even as she titled her head to give him more room, she murmured softly, "Stop that... We're at a party..."

"You shouldn't dress like that then if you want me to stop. You look amazing." Lloyd answered cheerfully, his stomach in hot knots as she held onto the front of his shirt with weak hands. The jealous pride that his inner animal emanated reminded him that what he saw, what he was holding, belonged to him and him only. He added playfully as she smiled shyly, "Really, you do. I'm almost glad you're up here, I can have you all to myself tonight."

"You can have me all to yourself every night." Sheena told him with a small smile, settling her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a chaste kiss that he seemed eager to deepen. Not able, and not really wanting, to stop him from adding passion, she finally surrendered and allowed him to have his way. The kiss seemed to last forever and only when their chests burned from lack of oxygen did they break.

"Dance with me?"

Laughing a little, he led her to the middle of the balcony and took her hands in his own, letting the rhythm of the slow song fill his chest until his had taken over the very beat of his heart. She seemed to know what she was doing, which gave him the courage to try too as they began to dance.

It was strange how he knew where to step and move as their fingers entwined, it was almost like they had practised it all beforehand. When he twirled her in a tight circle, her warm smile made him chuckle. That one smile, the way her eyes twinkled with delight and a hue of pink coloured her creamy skin, all his. That possessive feeling was no longer foreign, he knew that she belonged to him, the same way he belonged to her. They had made the bond and it couldn't be broken now.

She giggled as he spun her again, the flying colours nearly blinding before she stopped in his arms. They wound protectively around her middle and clasped her close, giving her a warmth she had recognized since he had first kissed her. It was a contentment mixed with a strange new pleasure that had a possessive tinge that she perversely enjoyed. 'All mine...' There was no hesitation for either of them now, they had finally passed all of the small double-takes and worries.

"You still want to ditch?" Lloyd whispered into her ear as they stopped the dance, now simply holding each other and swaying to the soft voice of the singer below. Her soft laughter was the only answer he needed, and holding her all the tighter, he continued to sway to the tune, closing his eyes contentedly. "Yeah... I don't really want to go either..."

"It's nice being here... with you and no one else..." Sheena explained with a little smile, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling the thud of his heartbeat against her hand. She could almost forget everything, that there was a world beyond her and this moment, a past and a future. Quietly, her voice barely above a whisper but loud enough for him to hear, "I could forget everything right now... I could just stay here forever..."

"Me too..." Lloyd agreed softly, feeling the tickle of her bangs against his mouth as he moved to kiss her temple. There was no pain of his past, worry for the future in that moment, he felt nothing but a contentment that covered his entire body like a cacoon. Not entirely sure if it was her presence or something else that did this to him, he decided it didn't matter. There was nothing else but this moment right then, nothing else but the feel of her svelte body pressed against his own, the quiet music and the warmth of a love accepted and returned.

His arms were tight around her middle, and she glanced down at the crowd below them. Many of the invited had split into pairs for the song, filling the dance floor with lovers. She could spot the members of their party, too busy in the arms of their significant other to notice anything else outside of their circle. A playful smile on her lips, she glanced up into the curious face of Lloyd and asked teasingly, "Should we go down there and join the rest of them? I'm pretty sure that they'll be wondering later where we ran off to."

"Nope, let's stay up here. It's nice and private." Lloyd answered without pause, grinning when she rolled her eyes with faked exasperation. Laughing, he lifted her from the floor with an easy tug, spinning around once before placing her back on her feet. She giggled aloud, ducking her face into his chest in an effort to muffle the bell-like sounds from getting too loud.

Sheena, raising her face and still giggling at his cheerful and carefree smile, poked him in the chest. Her tone scolding yet still joking, she asked half seriously "You just want to keep me away from any eyes down there, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do actually. I want you all to myself." Lloyd admitted with a strangely affectionate grin, ducking his head to kiss along her cheek gently. She giggled again, replying into the kiss as his lips found hers in a chaste but still loving exchange. When they broke for a short breath of air, he growled against her mouth, "I always want you all to myself... I love you."

"Jealousy becomes you Lloyd." Sheena teased before he kissed her again, hungrily now as his hands became liquid metal along her back, caressing and stroking, urging the desire into a new and higher peak as the dance began anew. Eyes closing in bliss, she could only think the words that had so long been her very lifeline and now had become the meaning of her life in only one short week. 'I love you too...'

_Kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku,_

_soredake de fuan na kokoro,_

_yasashii koe de namae wo yonde_

_tada sore dake ii no._

_Yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru,_

_anata ga warau kono sekai,_

_watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete,_

_mamoritai no negau no._

_Subete wo kakete mo_

_mamoritai to negau,_

_tsuyoku..._

**AN**

**I'm not dead, lol, but I sorta wish I was. (dives for the bomb shelter and locks the door) Ehh, don't kill me, I beg of you. Writer's block is the devil, I swear. It takes so long to actually finish a chapter than you realize the chapter fails and so you spend X-amount of time to rewrite it then you realize that **_**that**_** chapter fails so you do a third rewrite and you end up with worse failure than before so you go with the first episode of fail and figure you'll stick with that. I am a very sad authoress.**

**(cries) This isn't the end of Jealousy though, I have one more chapter left in me. Martel hopes it's not nearly as lousy as this one... The final chapter will take place in Heimdall pre-Kratos battle, just to avoid confusion and give you some glimpse into what lies ahead for this story, lol. It's not very much of a glimpse, but atm that's really all I have for you. Blah. It's been a madhouse around here.**

**Ahem, A New World announcement... Expect it up about a week after Jealousy. I'm hoping to do it in weekly installments, just to keep me on top of my game and to discourage reader boredom. XD God hopes that doesn't include writer's block, because if it does... Ehhh... If I don't end up doing the weekly thing, I'll inform you straightaway on my profile, because I hate to keep people waiting, especially when I promise to have X up at Y time, y'know? I'm a real people-pleaser. Which kinda kfcs you up if you're an author XD "Write for yourself!" I do, I do, XD But I like pleasing others too! Anywhosit, I liked the pace when I wrote GSE, but I'm hoping now that I'm more of an evolved author it'll show up way better than that story did, eheh... You know it's really bad when you look at your old work and go "WTF happened there?!" Either that or you're just really overcritical like me, lol... Bahah.**

**No review responses this time, gomen, but my net's been kinda funky lately so I was just lucky to get online to post this. My apologies, and there will be a full out note to everybody at the last chapter, promise! Ah, also, chapter dedication... XDThis one's for Swordude, who requested longer chapters awhile ago... Eheh, this one's so bloody long, XD Hopefully it's long enough for you? Even if it's not, lmao, I tried so please enjoy, or at least try. **

**C****ookies for those who review, rofl. **

**Sky**


	16. Entwined Endings and Beginnings

It was quiet, oddly quiet in the small elven village. Even as Lloyd tossed in the little bed, there was no sound from the mattress or even the blankets ruffling from his movement. It seemed as though the night was intent on swallowing him up in the deafening silence. The breathing of his male companions that surrounded him was calm and even, they had no trouble falling asleep.

He glanced to the far corner of the small room, where Genis had found a bed. Though the elf elder had denied the two siblings use of their facilities, some coaxing from Lloyd and Zelos had somehow managed to wear the ancient down enough to allow them room in the small inn. Lloyd tried not to smile at the content expression on his younger friend's face, even though he had been insanely nervous entering the forbidden village, he had taken to his birthplace rather warmly.

His professor, however, hadn't been nearly as pleased when she cautiously took her first step into Heimdall. While Genis was looking around with wide eyes and rapt attention, she had swallowed painfully and laid her hand on Regal's arm as if for support. Her face, transformed by turbulent emotions of wistfulness, nostalgia and pain, begged for a long moment to simply stand there and take everything in.

The others hadn't spoken much since they had entered, there was too much unease for many words to be spoken in all of their hearts. He didn't blame them for it, and was rather grateful that they were giving him some space to think and be alone. The vacation had done wonders for them all, and while he knew it was too good to last, he still found himself wishing he was back in Zelos' mansion, going along with whatever new scheme his redheaded friend had going.

Reality had come for them all, with a stunning harshness that robbed them of their peace and contentment in one sweep of the board. Rolling onto his back, Lloyd stared up listlessly at the ceiling, trying to picture the night sky that was hidden from him by the roof of the inn. He let out a weary sigh and closed his eyes, trying to block out the memories that haunted him so profusely now that the clock was ticking.

He could still see it, playing out like a badly made play that he'd watched in Altamira with the others in the party only a little while ago. Kratos had moved without a hesitation, arms outstretched and teeth grit tightly as the electrical charge burned its way deep into the angel's back. Though there had been pain on his face, there had been something else, a strange gentleness in those normally stoic adust eyes that cemented the truth into his mind.

A gentle tapping on the door startled Lloyd back into the present, and he cussed quietly as he nearly fell from the bed from the force of his surprise. Looking around hastily to make sure no one had seen or heard him, then a slight smile pulled at his lips when he realized who had to be calling on him at such a late hour. He was quick to hurry from bed and sweep to the door, ghosting as silently as he could to not wake his sleeping comrades.

He wasn't disappointed when he opened the door, she was standing sheepishly by the railing, wearing an embarrassed smile when he stepped out of the room to greet her. His chest immediately felt lighter, and without a word he tugged her into his arms and hugged her tight. "Sheena..."

"H-Hey..." Sheena smiled awkwardly as he hugged her close, nestling into his chest mostly out of habit than actual want. She could tell he hadn't slept, the one glimpse of his weary face before he'd hugged her had told her all she needed to know. She let him hold her for what seemed like forever, though in all truths, she didn't want him to ever let her go. Only after a long moment did she pull away, glancing up at him worriedly to see the strain on his boyish face. "Can't sleep either, huh?"

"Yeah..." Lloyd agreed with a weary smile, ducking his face into her hair to take a long inhale of her floral scent. It both calmed and excited him at the same time, and with a low groan of defeat, he closed his eyes and buried his face into her neck. "How did you know...?"

"I didn't, I just guessed. I couldn't sleep either, so I wondered if you were having the same trouble as me. I'm just glad I didn't wake anyone else up." Sheena admitted with a small smile, pulling away to see her lover's tired expression. She gently pressed her hand against his cheek, asking softly, "Want to go for a walk with me? It's really pretty around here at night..."

"Yeah... Sure." Lloyd answered with a smile of his own, catching her hand with his before they turned for the small park at the end of the road beside the inn. Her hand was warm in his, and he found it remarkably easy to feel more comfortable the moment she was at his side again. He had noticed it many times over their journey, how his anxieties would ease the moment she was there with him, how he felt so much more safer when she fought alongside him, guarding his back and trusting her own to him in turn.

Sheena grinned just a little as she leaned back into his shoulder, enjoying the way he'd duck his head to kiss the crown of her hair in the most absent of ways. His fingers interlocked with hers and every step she took, he matched, almost as though they were connected. She led him to the small clearing by the river, glancing up at the clear night sky, the full moon shining overhead with a majestic sort of brilliance. Sitting on one of the long benches, she curled her legs up to her chest and watched as he sat beside her.

They were silent for a few minutes, neither not entirely sure how to begin or where exactly to even go once the conversation started to roll. Lloyd tilted his head back, glancing up at the millions of stars that shone in the navy blanket of the sky, and unbidden, he wondered aloud, "I wonder if Kratos is seeing the same night sky we are..."

"He probably is." Sheena murmured softly, watching as his face hardened for one moment before relaxing into one of pain. He hadn't spoken much about the upcoming fight, he had barely talked to anyone at all the entire day, though she didn't blame him. It was as if his entire persona had simply did an about-face when the team had left Meltokio to enter Heimdall, he'd become quiet and brooding, reminding her painfully of the traitor he was about to fight. "Lloyd...?"

"I don't know what to do tomorrow... I don't think I can beat him, let alone kill him." Lloyd's voice was quiet, lacking the confidence that he'd always had, the boisterous attitude that had attracted her to him in the first place. Smiling weakly, Lloyd brushed a hand over his face and continued in a low voice, "I know he's strong... He's always been very strong... But I don't think I'm at his level, even now. I've fought hard and trained constantly, but that doesn't give me an edge against his thousands of years of life."

"It's not about his experience, or yours for that matter." Sheena dismissed his worries with one wave of her hand, and she smiled when he looked at her with wide eyes. Grinning, she leaned back just a little and looked directly at him so he would know that she wasn't humouring him. Her smile faded and she became completely serious, explaining calmly, "It's about heart. You aren't the old Lloyd that lost to him during your training, nor are you the one that refused to give up to him in the Tower of Salvation when he first left us. You can beat him because you can, and I know that."

Lloyd watched her smile, her eyes betraying the hint of bittersweet tears that sparkled in her eyes even now as she thought of Corrine. He recognized the words she spoke, he had used them for her too, preparing her for the fight with Volt. She had paid dearly then, but she had come out of that defeat and victory with something he'd seen in her all along, courage. 'She's too stubborn to let me get down on myself about it... She won't let me consider the option of loss...' "You're going to keep on drilling that into me until I believe you, aren't you?"

"That depends on how many times you need me to repeat myself." Sheena replied playfully, pleased to see him smile in return. He closed the distance between them in a few shuffles, wrapping his arms around her protectively. Leaning back into his chest with a happy sigh, she found herself oddly contented just by his embrace. Absently interlacing her fingers with him, she continued in a soft voice, "I'll keep saying it until you believe me.... Because I believe in you, all of us do. You don't need to prove anything to us or to him, it's not right for you to think that way about your father. You're going to beat him your own way, and then we'll make that pact with Origin and do what we've been trying to do for so long. That's a fact."

Lloyd closed his eyes, letting her words sink into his chest to melt the hard icy core of disbelief and worry that had made sleep impossible. It seemed so easy to believe her, she spoke without a hesitation, a tinge of brave determination colouring her strong voice. He knew however that it was hard for her to say all of this, that it had worried her as much as it worried him. 'She's working so hard... Pushing aside everything for my sake... What did I do for someone like her to come into my life?' Nestling his chin onto her shoulder, he was quiet for a long moment, letting himself think. 'If she believes in me this much... I can't let her down. Not now, not ever.' "Thanks, Sheena... I think I needed to hear that."

"Heh, if you needed to hear that why didn't you just tell me earlier? It would have saved us some insomnia." Sheena teased, enjoying his low chuckle and the way he nuzzled against her neck again. Watching the way his thumbs stroked her palms, she took a deep breath as she readied herself to speak again. 'He's trying to keep the mood light but there's more bothering him...' Her words seemed to have left her as suddenly as her courage, and with a low cough, she closed her eyes as she tried to summon it again. She'd felt it too, the worry that he wouldn't win the battle, that Kratos wouldn't only defeat him but maybe even kill him. 'He's his father, we all know that, but... If he doesn't actually hold back, if he decides it's all or nothing, Lloyd might not be able to stand against him. Could Kratos... Could his _father_ actually kill him...?' "Lloyd... I, uh... I want you to know that, um..."

"I won't die."

Sheena jumped, feeling his arms releasing her as she did so, worried that he'd somehow hurt her. She whirled on him, eyes wide and shocked. 'Did he just read my mind!?' His worried expression had vanished when he saw her shock, and it melted into a rueful grin as he remained where he sat on the bench, almost amused by her surprise. It was her turn for her shock to fade away, then she was smiling too, albeit apologetically. Raising a hand, she rubbed at the back of her neck and lowered her gaze to the ground as she murmured, "Sorry... I didn't want you to think that I was doubting _you_, I'm not, it's Kratos I'm worried about..."

"I still don't know if he'd kill me, he might be my father and all but..." Lloyd paused, smiling strangely as she sank down beside him again, face impassive. Looking up at the starry heavens, he continued somewhat wryly, "Heh, he's a bit of a puzzle to figure out. If he wanted to, I don't doubt that he could kill me... But I won't let him. I won't die."

Sheena opened her mouth to argue, even though she wanted to believe him, believe every single word he spoke. His eyes glinted like steel, challenging her to challenge him, as if he'd already cemented all of his faith in the words he'd told her. After a moment, she let out a sigh then shook her head, laughing quietly in relief. "Yeah... Yeah, you won't die... I'm stupid for even considering that option. You'll be just fine."

"You know I want to fight him alone, right?" Lloyd asked quietly, and he was surprised when she gave him a nod. He blinked, then chuckled as his own worries trickled away a little. He had been uncertain about his comrade's thoughts, previously they had all fought together against the Seraphim, and perhaps they thought it would be no different this time. A hand over his face, he muttered sheepishly, "I didn't know if everybody else knew or not..."

"No, we all knew... Even without saying anything to you, we all knew it'd only be you and Kratos fighting." Sheena reassured him gently, laying her hand on his arm when he glanced up at her curiously. Smiling a little, she shuffled closer until their shoulders brushed, laying her head on his as his arm wrapped around her waist. Somewhat eased to feel his hold on her, she continued softly, "It wouldn't be right if any of us got involved too, in a way, it's between father and son now. If any of us fought alongside you, it wouldn't be right. We're all with you of course, I guess not just physically this time around... And... As much as it..." She stopped then, her throat tightening in a denial against the words she meant to speak. 'I don't even want to think about it... To think that he might... He might never come back to us... to _me_...' "I-If... If it goes sour... We won't... We won't interfere."

"That means a lot to me that you'd say that..." Lloyd said quietly, his voice somewhat thickened by the agony that surged through his body. He could see her face in his mind, the sheer anguish in her eyes as she watched Kratos strike the killing blow as he fell to the ground, never to rise again. It would kill her, he knew that with certainty. He didn't know if he could do that himself, watch as she died. "I won't let you live through that, I'll never let you watch me, or anyone else you care about, die. I won't. You've lived through enough pain."

Sheena almost laughed, his words were iron enough but it was the way he'd change the topic so smoothly, make it about her when all she wanted was to make sure he'd be okay. Though she relished his attention and wanted nothing more than to show him exactly how much he meant to her, she changed her voice to make it serious and softly scolded him. "Lloyd, this isn't about me, it's about you and Kratos. We don't mean anything right now, it's all about you."

"No stupid, it's about you too." Lloyd disagreed with a shake of his head, turning around and gently placing a finger over her lips when she made to argue. She was quiet, but her eyes glinted amber fire, warning him that he'd be in for it if he continued to talk like this. As much as he loved her, he continued fiercely, "You're my soulmate, aren't you? If you die, I die too. I can't live my life without you, I've already decided that much. I can't lose you and I can't put you through the pain of losing me. I won't die, not just because I'll beat him, but because I love you."

She waited until his finger left her lips, though his hand cupped around her face, the warmth of his touch soothing some of her annoyance. Eyes hard, she placed her hand on his cheek and settled her free one on top of his, needing that physical connection to keep herself sane. 'When did I need him more than I needed to breathe? Jizou...' Her cheeks reddened just a little as she spoke the words, though she knew they were all true, that they had always been true. "Lloyd, I won't say that you're not my soulmate, that I don't love you more than anything I've ever cared about. To be honest, I couldn't give a hell if the worlds went to pot and there was nothing else but you with me. But I won't think like that, I won't be selfish and live like that. We both agreed to help as best we could for the world, for everyone's sakes regardless of what happened to us. You can't think about me when you're fighting Kratos, you can't worry about what I'm going to see, or what I might have to live through if by some stupid chance that you die. You said so yourself, you won't. But you can't say you won't die for _me_, we have too much to do for it to be just about _me_. If you're not going to die, you're going to live for the _world_."

He saw her pain, saw the way that she instinctively argued against each and every word she spoke. She had fallen in love with not just him, but with his morals, with the way he lived his life. She would fight to the death at his side for what he, for what _they_ believed in. That goal was the only thing she was trying to see, to distract herself from the fear that their quest could very well claim his life, and in that time, her own. 'It's the same for me... If she dies, the world dies with her... There are things bigger than us... She's trying to think of those things even though it hurts her...'

He pulled her into his lap, burying his face into her hair, trying to fight the wrenching grief in his chest. She held onto him as desperately as he held her, and in that moment, they both felt the pain of loss that had yet to come. Breathing raggedly, he focussed only on the sound of her breathing, at the feel of her heart racing against his chest, synchronized with his own. One beat between two bodies, two souls that had merged and refused to split even for death. He laughed suddenly, overwhelmed by his own stupidity as it hit him like Gnome had with his shovel back at the Temple of Earth months ago. 'I could have had this so long ago. I could have been holding her long before now if I'd only realized it. Why was I so stupid!?

"L-Lloyd?" Surprised, and a little unnerved, by his laughter, she pulled away worriedly. His head was bowed, and she was shocked to see tears falling from his eyes as his chuckles hitched with barely audible sobs. Eyes widening in total alarm, she was quick to untangle her arms, brushing away his tears quickly, whispering, "Lloyd, what's wrong? Please, tell me."

"I'm so stupid... I'm so stupid! All this time, I didn't see how much you loved me, how much you wanted to be with me, I was too dense! All those months, wasted because I'm an idiot!" Lloyd burst out angrily, pulling her back into his arms and this time refusing to let her go. She struggled just once, confused, but she halted when she realized he needed this, needed her to hold him. He buried his face in her shoulder, hissing against her neck in anger and pain, "I could have spent so much more time with you, loving you, holding you, instead of being so _stupid_! Why the hell am I realizing all of this _now_!?"

Sheena giggled, though she knew it was entirely inappropriate of her to start laughing. It all became clear then when he yelled at himself, and though it wasn't exactly funny, she was laughing anyway. She felt his hold slacken on her, and knowing that she probably had hurt his feelings, she quickly looked up and hastened to explain, "N-No, I'm not laughing at you! It's just... I guess I'm sorta surprised that you're thinking about all of that now, that's all!"

"But... But I hurt you." Lloyd's voice was quiet, apologetic as he reached out to touch her cheek, watching with some amazement as she tilted her head to rest her cheek snugly into his palm. He had felt it before, when he had first made love to her, the amazement that she had loved for him for as long as she had, that he had missed all of those signals and had only discovered her then. She could have let him go before he had even realized how much he cared about her, and while he wouldn't have faulted her for it, it made him ache even now to imagine it. "I hurt you and you still... You still..."

"I still want to be with you, so you were dense, that's nothing to apologize for." Sheena shook her head, dismissing his words with a tender smile. His eyes were still worried, full of guilt, and it left her in pain for causing that emotion in him. Giving him a light peck to the lips, she gazed fondly into his eyes and murmured against his mouth, "I would have waited forever for you. I'd already made that decision. I never knew if you would ever love me back, hell, I didn't even know if you'd want me, but I was willing to wait forever. Having you realize it now, is way better than ten or even twenty years down the line. So I don't want you to apologize for making me wait a few months for you, what matters is I have you now."

Lloyd said nothing for a long moment, nearly spellbound. He believed her, it only took a few gestures and a simple sentence for his doubts to disappear and leave him contented again. While he didn't understand it completely, the way she had so much influence over him in only such a short while of loving her, he wouldn't contest it. Kissing her gently, he clasped her close against his chest and muttered into her hair, "Heh, dammit Sheena, what did I do to deserve you?"

"Y'know, I've been asking myself that every day this week and I still don't know the answer." Sheena replied with a soft giggle, closing her eyes as she relaxed into his arms. She had always felt safe near him, knowing unconsciously that no harm would come to her if he stood beside her. Being in his arms only increased that sensation. Eyes closed and voice slightly muffled by his jacket, she teased softly, "When you find the answer, make sure to tell me."

"Professor Sage told me once that you can't classify love..." Lloyd told her in a musing voice, closing his eyes and focussing only on the fact that she was curled up against him, soft and warm. She murmured something to let him know she was still listening, and he continued thoughtfully, "That it's made up of so many different things that no one really understands it, not even the best scholars in Sylvarant... At first I didn't know what she meant, but I think I get it now... There's so much about it that doesn't really make sense but you accept it anyway for what it is, just because it's what it is."

"Grandpa told me that too, that love is just love." Sheena agreed, breathing a happy sigh as his mouth caressed the top of her hair like a whisper of a breeze. "That's why it's so special to call someone your _kokoro no tomo_ when you truly love them. It's a bond of the hearts, and the souls. It is exactly what it is, no strings attached, y'know? It's one of those simple things that are really complicated."

"Well yeah, it can be pretty complicated." Lloyd laughed wryly, earning a smirk and a gentle nudge in the ribs from his _kokoro no tomo_ in his arms. Pretending to be bruised, he rubbed the spot where she elbowed him, putting on a hurt pout. "You said it yourself though, it's a good thing I found you now than ten years down the road, right?"

"I did say that, didn't I?" Sheena pretended to grimace, wrinkling her nose in mock-distaste. He still looked hurt, though she saw the dancing light in his eyes that let her know that all was finally well. Unable to hide her laughter, she went along with the game, "Well you can forget that I said that, I don't think I'd have waited ten years. Zelos probably would have worn me down after five, in the very least."

"Zelos? I'd've lost to that guy?" Lloyd exclaimed in faux-shock, opening his mouth and widening his eyes for comedic effect. It worked perfectly, Sheena started to laugh uncontrollably, hiding her face in his chest in a vain effort to muffle her giggles lest she wake the entire village. Chuckling, he tried anyway to keep up the act for laughter's sake, "I can't believe I would've lost to some guy like Zelos. That's just wrong. I need to reevaluate my skills with women if that's the case!"

"Well he may be a pervert but he does somehow seem to have a way with the women, I'll give the philanderer that much." Sheena chuckled under her breath, glancing up to see his winning grin that melted her heart all over again. "I mean, look at Colette. I've never seen her so happy, even when she became herself again and realized she was hungry for the first time in months! He's mellowed out a lot too, he's stopped flirting altogether, that's a huge improvement."

"Well I guess he won't be getting any gifts anytime soon then... Pity, I kinda liked raiding his stash of sweets at the mansion." Lloyd confessed with a sly smirk, earning a startled, then very amused glance from the ninja. She started to giggle all over again, and with a laugh of his own, he added sweetly, "But if he's happy, and Colette's happy, than I shouldn't complain. We're all happier it seems, a lot better than how we were before, walking on eggshells and all that... The tension's gone."

'To be replaced by a new type of tension anyway.' Sheena commented inwardly, though she made sure not to say those words aloud. She inhaled the warm scent of leather and skin that clung to Lloyd's chest, and it sent a delicious shiver of desire through her body. She wouldn't ever deny that she hadn't been sexually attracted to the twin swordsman, but it only seemed to have gotten worse now that she knew her attraction was reciprocated. She had seen it with the duke and professor, she knew those stolen glances and lingering touches, and it made her smile with secret pleasure. "Everyone's kinda paired off, have you noticed?"

"Yeah, I noticed." Lloyd nodded, though he could tell she was a bit impressed with his words. He admitted inwardly that he had never really paid attention to it beforehand, but his experience with her had opened up the world to his eyes, giving him a fresh perspective. He too had seen the little smiles shared between his professor and the duke, the way Zelos' hands would linger along Colette's skin, and the way that Genis seemed so much braver and forward with Presea, even going as far to hold her hand when they walked together. He saw it all. "Looks like the vacation put a lot of things in motion, not just for us, but for everybody... It's kinda nice."

"It really is, it's like Raine told us at the hot springs..." Sheena mused happily, remembering the peaceful expression that the professor had worn that day. She echoed the words the half-elf had spoken, lingering on her own contentedness as she murmured them to Lloyd, "Fond memories that get us attached to being alive. The more we create, the more we want to live and experience more joy, more pleasures. We're all happy and eager to live."

"I'm eager too." Lloyd told her cheekily, sending her a sly smirk when she glanced up at him with one raised eyebrow. Before she had a chance to state exactly how _she_ felt, he was on his feet, scooping her up into his arms and smothering her gasp with a fierce kiss. Her arms wound around his neck as she accepted the embrace, melting against his mouth and sharing his passion. When he broke, he whispered huskily, "Did you have your own room?"

"Uh huh, there was only three beds in the last one, so I got my own..." Sheena whispered back, tilting her head up for another kiss that he gladly gave her. She knew he was carrying her back towards the inn, though when his mouth touched against her own again, she didn't really care where he was planning on taking her. She had him for tonight, and he had her, that was all that mattered. They could have the night, they could have the world, this moment was just for them.

* * *

Sheena's breath caught in her throat as she watched Origin lift his spears, his eyes closing as he surrendered his physical form to her. The bright ball of mana shivered in the air, floating soundlessly from where Origin had once floated, falling into her open hands. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath until the mana of the Summon Spirit touched her fingers, sizzling through her skin and merging with her body. With a relieved sigh, her tense body finally relaxed and she glanced to her left where Lloyd stood, and smiled.

"Damn..." Lloyd let out the cuss with a weary grin, before Sheena laughed aloud and flung her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as he hugged her close. He chuckled wearily, turning his head to see how the other members of the team were faring.

Zelos was laughing, and though he had nearly broken his arm in the battle with Origin, he still managed to pluck Colette off the ground to spin her in the air. Her giggles of glee mingled with Regal's quiet chuckles of relief as the duke allowed himself a moment to relax. Raine's hand rested gently on his forearm, almost tenderly tracing the wounds he too bore from the battle. Presea was wearing a smile, her eyes only for Genis who was grinning back at her as though she'd just taught him the secret to turning dirt into Gald.

"All that's left is for us to retrieve the Eternal Sword and reunite the worlds. Then it will truly be over." Raine murmured, closing her eyes and allowing her head to hang as though the burden was close to being lifted from her shoulders. Raising her free hand from her side, she rubbed slowly at her sprained shoulder, murmuring, "How is everyone? We might need to spend another day in Heimdall to recuperate before we go to the Tower of Salvation..."

"No, we ought to go right away to get it over with." Lloyd disagreed with a shake of his head, feeling Sheena's arms loosen around his waist, pulling back so he could see her equally fierce expression. She wanted it to be over as much as he did. He heard the murmurs of agreement from his comrades, and after a moment, he glanced over to see Kratos standing off to one side, his eyes lowered to the ground as he silently gripped his side.

Sheena saw the worry in the twin swordsman's eyes, and she gently nudged his arm so he would look at her. Smiling weakly, she nodded over to the angel, knowing exactly what he wanted without him even needing to utter a word. He glanced meaningfully at her, and she gave him a light shake of her head. "No, I'm alright. It's not that bad. Go."

Lloyd turned entirely to Kratos, watching the angel silently mutter something to himself, focussing his mana to attempt to heal the wound in his side."Da–" Lloyd began almost automatically, freezing before he managed to get the entire word out though it was too late. Kratos had stopped what he was doing, looking up with surprise, his mana having disappeared into the wind. "Ah... Kratos..."

"Yes Lloyd...?" Kratos made an effort to keep his voice flat in an attempt to disguise the pain the wound in his abdomen caused him. When his son didn't answer, the angel managed a wry smile, turning his head away from the swordsman, continuing placidly, "I am fine, Lloyd. I admit your increase in talent was unexpected, I never thought you would be able to inflict such a grievous wound on my angelic form. However, there is no need for concern."

"If you're in pain, at least admit it, idiot. I don't care about your pride." Lloyd snapped angrily, annoyed by the angel's callous attitude towards himself. The entire glade fell silent at his words, and though the silence felt nearly unbearable, he snapped again, "If you're hurt, the Professor or Regal can heal you. That's not the point though." He paused, then felt Sheena lay her hand on his arm, giving him the strength he didn't have to continue his words. Kratos was watching him blankly, though Lloyd could see the curiosity in his seemingly unexpressive adust eyes. He tried again, "Do you... Do you want to come with us to the Tower of Salvation?"

"You... You wish for me to accompany you to the Tower of Salvation?" Kratos repeated, momentarily dumbstruck. He saw the way a ruddy flush raised into Lloyd's face, the way he turned to look at the slightly amused summoner behind him as though he was hoping for her help. She merely shook her head, affectionately exasperated, motioning for Lloyd to look back at him. 'I see...'

"It... It only seems right that you see this through to the end. After everything..." Lloyd fell off with a shake of his head, trying to hide his embarrassment behind a scowl. Sheena's hand gave his forearm a gentle squeeze, gently reassuring and he let out a weary sigh of annoyance, turning his head back to his father. "I want you to come with us to the Tower, to see the reunification of the world."

"Before going to the Tower, you will need to travel back to Sylvarant and pay a visit to your father. The Ring of the Pact must be forged before you are able to equip the Eternal Sword. Altessa is too injured to prepare it, so Dirk is the only logical choice." Kratos explained quietly, watching Lloyd's eyes flicker for one moment, and he continued quickly, "After that... I will accompany you to the Tower, if that is what you wish."

"That's what I want, for you to come with us and see the beginning of what you've wanted." He turned his head, looking at his comrades who had been listening intently to his words as soon as he'd started speaking. A little embarrassed that they had all watched him with obedient and friendly eyes, he coughed to clear his throat then hastened to add, "O-Of course if that's what everyone else is okay with too..."

"I'll tell you I'm not entirely kosher with having him with us." Zelos began somewhat coldly, though his eyes softened as he glanced down to his side, where Colette was gripping his sleeve with a hopeful expression. He let out a weary sigh, then gazed back into the seemingly indifferent eyes of the angel and continued, "However, I get what you mean about him deserving to see the end of the beginning. Even if he is an SOB, he's got rights too."

Raine rolled her eyes almost audibly at the Chosen's less than polite remark, though she commented inwardly, 'It's how I feel, in blunt terms anyway...' Her gaze weary, she watched Kratos return her stare, waiting patiently for her decision, as well as everyone else's. She knew he would only go if all of them were in assent. She took a breath, gazing from Zelos, to Lloyd, than to the father and answered firmly, "I agree with Zelos' statement, however... The past should be left where it is, the past. You betrayed us, and your methods weren't exactly the best, but your heart was in the right place regardless. Your reward should be the sight of your goal being achieved, by your son."

"Guilt is a heavy burden, I understand that all too well." Regal began with a wan smile, sensing the confusion behind the angel's gaze, then he glanced down at Raine, who had looked up at him in complete worry. A hint of a true smile lifting the duke's lips, he continued in a soft voice, resting his hands on the top of her head in an affectionate gesture, "However the warmth of the people around you can lessen that weight. You were willing to give your life for redemption, for a crime you believed was unforgivable. I believe I understand the depths of your pain, and because of that, I agree with Lloyd. You, in my eyes, are indeed welcome to come with us to the Tower."

"Regal is correct. Warmth of the hearts of friends really can heal almost all wounds. You should come with us to see the beginning of true world regeneration." Presea confirmed with a simple nod, her eyes watching as Kratos blinked, looking at Regal with strange confusion before back to her with an expression akin to gratitude. "It is the least we can do for your help beforehand."

Genis coughed to get the injured angel's attention, glancing to see Lloyd's taut expression. Though he had heard positive words from four of his companion's, it would only take one for it all to fall apart. The young mage looked straight at Kratos, eyes hard and cold, "I can't say that I'm not happy with that idea, because I really don't think you should come with us... But... That's because I still haven't forgiven you. I don't have to like you to agree with what everybody else is saying, you should come."

"Me too, I want you to come and see the world regeneration, the real one!" Colette chirped up next, a brilliant smile lighting up her face as Kratos looked at her with that same indifference he spared for everyone else. Not deterred by that, she clasped her hands in front of her and closed her eyes, continuing in a much more subdued voice, "When I felt Martel inside of me... She thought of you too. She feels sad for what you have went through, she wants you to live a happy life, wants you to receive forgiveness because she knows you're a truly kind person. I see that too, with her help. " Her eyes opened and she said fiercely, "You ought to come with us Kratos!"

"Yeah." Sheena agreed with a bit of a nod, capturing Kratos' attention with her voice. Smiling somewhat awkwardly, she glanced from the agreeing faces of her comrades, then to the shyly annoyed one of her lover before she turned her gaze back to the waiting angel. Gesturing to the glade that the battle had taken place in, she continued softly, "Lloyd was right, you can die at any time but once you do, that's the end. Live your life now. Come with us to the Tower."

"I see..." Kratos mused aloud, turning his gaze to each of the comrades who had once fought him and now stood before him, hands open in invitation. Their reasoning differed, but the meaning was the same in their words. He looked to his son, who was avoiding his gaze, his eyes only for the summoner who stood patiently at his side, her fingers brushing his. He knew that warm look she sent him, the gentle way her lips quirked when his son looked at her, he had experienced that only a few short years beforehand. 'And so... It all starts anew, but for my son. He has found his Anna in _her_, and so he has found a new reason to live, to fight...' He didn't smile, though he ached to, and when Lloyd raised his face to look at him, he spoke quietly, "I shall accompany you to the Tower of Salvation then. I wish to see the true regeneration of our worlds, to see Tethe'alla and Sylvarant finally become whole again."

"Then we'll be heading to Sylvarant then right?" Genis questioned, turning to Lloyd who nodded once. Grinning, he stepped towards his friend, hand outstretched to give the twin swordsman a friendly knock to the shoulder. In that one moment, his body suddenly turned to ice, and from his pocket, he knew where the cold was coming from. A strangled gasp escaped his throat as his body shook, and from his pocket the Cruxis Crystal erupted with what could have been a scream. "Ahh!"

"The hell!?"

"What?!"

"Oh my g–"

Above the clamouring of his friends, Lloyd watched in alarm as the red object his friend had saved sped towards him, easily dodging around Kratos' body and throwing itself at his chest. He reacted instinctively, showing Sheena away from him as the Cruxis Crystal attached itself to the bare skin of his throat, sinking against him as Mithos' voice echoed in his ears.

"_There's no time! I'll take your body!"_

Time crawled to a halt then, the voices of his friends became distorted and distant, lost in an oddly dark haze that clouded his vision. Images and sound poured directly into his brain, things he wasn't familiar with that overloaded his senses. He saw through eyes that weren't his as a bloodied and bruised hand reached into the muddy river, catching a mouthful of the dirty liquid, pouring it down his parched throat even though the taste was foul. He saw hateful eyes of both humans and elves glare at him, felt the pain of a thousand rejections and cruel words rip through his body all at once. He heard harsh words pounding into his ears, screaming obscenities and curses too foul to ever repeat aloud, each one hipping pain through his heart.

Then the horrid picture changed just as suddenly as it had invaded him, the pain was still there, a dark shadow that couldn't be evaded, but there was now light. He saw the back of a woman that looked surprisingly familiar, a warm hand caressing his cheek and a soft voice singing a lullaby in a language he didn't understand. The feeling that voice incurred was one he knew well, it was love, and he whispered the name of the woman he saw in the mind that wasn't his, nor was it Mithos' in that moment as they became one.

"Martel."

The picture changed, he saw Martel's hands outstretched in front of him, her body a shield from the painful words and actions of the two radically different groups. Two other figures appeared, another half-elf he knew and then a human, so different than the ones he had run and hidden from. He felt pride, pride and happiness eclipse the pain and the resentment, giving him an adrenalin filled rush of optimism. There was glory, and there was pleasure for the first time in the images, so violent that for a moment, he could see no pain, no darkness.

That was over as quickly as it had come, the pain had returned and he knew this anguish as well. He was on his knees in the dirt, cradling a lifeless body in his thin arms as tears flowed down his face. She was staring up at him, her eyes warm and gentle, raising her hand to brush bloodied fingers against his face as she whispered a soft apology. Her hand fell to the dirt, kind eyes closing forever as she relaxed, finally gone from his grasp, gone from him forever.

Then Martel was gone, and he saw something entirely different in his mind. He had once again taken Mithos' place, he was on the ground cradling a different body to his chest, weeping silently as he buried his face in her chest, willing her heart to beat even though it had long since ceased. The agony was on par with what he felt from Mithos even though the image had changed, even though the woman in his arms was not a sister.

'Sheena!'

He groaned as the shift of images brought him back to reality, only a tense two seconds had passed, though he felt as though he had relived each and every one of those four thousand years of life. He was still holding his hand to his neck, grabbing at the crystal that Mithos had survived in, mouth moving to exclaim a denial. "N-No!"

Mithos' hold on him was absolute, he had taken those two seconds to overwhelm the swordsman and plant his consciousness inside of Lloyd's body, fusing his mana into everything as he merged with him. His vision blurred for a moment, his entire body burning as Mithos' hot mana battled with his own, warring for dominance inside of his body. He was confused by the pain, it seemed as though every cell was rejecting the mana of the half-elf, trying in vain to flee the heat though it had nowhere to go. "No!"

"Lloyd!" Sheena gasped, watching as he tore his body around, giving them his back as he doubled over, clawing at the Cruxis Crystal on his throat. Genis looked stunned, he hadn't gotten up from where he'd fallen, eyes wide and full of horror as he stared at the back of his best friend, who kept twitching and groaning in pain. Her feet moved instinctively towards him, only to caught by Kratos' restraining hand on her forearm. "Wh–"

"Wait, Mithos survived in the Cruxis Crystal, it's impossible to know what would happen if you separated the crystal from Lloyd's body!" Kratos warned her fiercely, his eyes glittering with anger and fear as he stared back into her equally frightened face. His hand tight around her arm, he held her back from his twitching son, hissing under his breath, "Mithos could very well kill him or possess you if you try to remove the crystal!"

She heard his warning without really hearing it, her mind had already made its decision against the odds. She could see the pain rippling through his body, heard his anguished moan as he nearly fell over from the force of whatever it was that was hurting him. His pain had become her pain, and after watching fearfully as he put his life up against Kratos' sword, she wouldn't stand down a second time to leave him to his own devices. 'I love him way too damn much to let anyone try to take him from me twice.'

Kratos' hand was painfully tight on her arm, but she used his distraction with Lloyd to pull out an Acalantha from her sleeve. Focussing her mana into the seal, she grunted the name of her curse under her breath, slamming it with all her might into the angel's chest. His hand loosened on her arm as he let out a gasp of shock, and it was all she needed to jerk away from him. She heard the cries of alarm as she darted towards her lover, but she pushed it to the back of her mind as she threw her arms around Lloyd's shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

She felt it in his hands, glowing an angry red and radiating a violent heat that made her recoil almost instinctively. She pushed his aside, grasping at the crystal with all the strength she had. He cried out, whether it was in denial or alarm, she didn't know as she snagged it from his hands and held it in her own. She smiled then, overwhelmed by the relief that softened the rush of adrenalin, letting her know that at least he was out of harm's way now. She murmured against his ear, eyes closed and voice soft, "I'm sorry Lloyd... I love you."

He was turning, she felt his muscles tightening as her words struck him, weighing him down with the gravity of what she had just done. She could feel the heat in her palms spreading up her arms, and she knew she only had a few more moments of control. Releasing him, she jumped back and grit her teeth, holding the crystal to her chest as she lashed out to kick him in the back, sending him sprawling onto the ground. 'I've got a few seconds...' She held it to her heart, gritting her teeth as the pain began, rushing through her body and blurring the lines of sanity in her mind.

Lloyd looked up, bruised and shaking, into the eyes of the one comrade he knew better than any in his party. She was clutching Mithos' Cruxis Crystal to her heart, a saddened smile on her face as she realized he was staring at her. She wasn't moving, but he saw the pain in her eyes, the agony he too had felt just seconds before when Mithos had taken over his body. He cried out angrily, knowing it was too late for him to try and retrieve the crystal, she'd downed him for that reason and that reason only. "No! Sheena, don't!"

"I'm sorry." She whispered again, feeling the sting of tears in the corners of her eyes. Unlike Lloyd, she didn't fight the strange sensation of the possession, she welcomed the icy feeling and allowed Mithos' mana to sink into her blood and control her. Somehow though, she managed to retain control of her gaze, staring into the anguished eyes of her soulmate, still smiling sadly at him. 'At least it's me. Better me than you, Lloyd... Better me than you... I'm so sorry.'

"_I meant that it doesn't feel right when you're away from _me_."_

"_You're my soulmate, Lloyd."_

"_I want to love you, Sheena."_

"_You know you're a hero no matter what you're wearing."_

"_I love you."_

**AN**

**... (runs away screaming) ... (returns after a good ten minute fit) I'm okay now, lol. (Prepared to bolt into my bomb shelter anyway) Eheh, there was no other way to end it in my eyes, lol, it was the only thing that worked. That's my one and only excuse, seriously, lol. XD Don't hurt me...? Please?**

**Review replies!**

**Sychotic: Lmao, well I hope you're pleased with this review reply, in this lousy chapter too. XD It's all I can give you, seriously. Hehe, look for your name in the list below, it ought to be there. Yay, I have a reader for A New World, that makes me happy, XD It'll bomb, just to warn you ahead of time.**

**Maurice A Nigma: Yes, I have finally ended the story, and on a cliffhanger(ish) to boot. Do you hate me? Lol, because I don't blame you if you do. It would make sense for copping out, lmao. But yeah, que sera sera, whatever will be, will be. It's how I live my writing life anyway. Jealousy took on a life of its own and that was how it was going to play out. I had no control, lol. That's always amused me in my years of writing, I may be an author but in the end, I have absolutely no control whatsoever over my stories. They do whatever the hell they please. Look for your name in the list, lol**

**$tarfox05: Lol, I know what you mean, and I am very sorry if this chapter didn't deliver your expectations, really. I hope to hear more from you in the future though, if you'll keep reading, I'll keep writing!**

**Eternal Brave Soul: XD I didn't wrap up hell, lol. That's the point however, I wasn't supposed to wrap it up because there was still more left to be delivered. On that note (scowl) watch how many people demand for a sequel. My inner fan is already screaming in denial as I write this down, lol. (Sigh) C'est la vie apparently. Well anyway, thanks for all your help and look for your name in the list below, lmao!**

**I want to thank a few people before I "end" the story officially, because it makes me feel better to put credit where it's due. XD So... Big thanks to my friend Dmitri for giving me the courage to even begin Jealousy and aiding me through the entire process, and thanks likewise to both Sychotic, Swordude, and Maurice for the constructive aid and the complimentary reviews, I was really egged on by your kind words, and it meant a lot to me! Also a big thanks to Lloyd Irving Aurion, I was so honoured to have you reviewing my story, you have no idea how happy that made me, lol thank you! Big thanks also to any who favourited me or this story in the process, that was a really nice thing to open my mail up to in the morning, lol, really. Special thanks also to Rayokarna, without you, I doubt I'd have gotten this far. Thanks a million Ben, I'm glad to have you.**

**Also... Before anyone starts hounding me with "MAKE A SEQUEL", if I'm going to write one at all, it will be on my own time, at my own pace, and whenever I can do it. Please don't rush me in the writing process, especially with school coming up, it only makes it harder for me to write overall. Pressure is very unneeded right now.**

**Once again, a big thanks to any and all of my readers/reviewers, your feedback and support means the world to me! Thank you all! Look out for A New World, coming to a**** fanfiction website near you lmao. (Always wanted to say that...) Check my profile for weekly updates and an announcement on the release!**

**This has been,**

**Sky**


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